Weird wrinkled eggs ???

[Reurra]

Frightful has been laying some weird eggs. She stopped laying 2 days ago, then yesterday and today her eggs have been wrinkled and pale. No one is sneezing, no one is sick in any way, no one has mites or pests crawling on them. I dont know what to think. Im pretty sure its not IBV.

I give my 2 older girls time to wander around eating slugs and bugs in the yard, when they are in the run I give them tufts of dandilions and sometimes spinach from the garden. i dont use pesticides of any kind.

Frightfuls eggs have always been large and dark, but lately they have been wrinkled. Should i be concerned? Crackers eggs look just fine, nice and normal and dark brown.

I got Frightful in early April with Crackers. I am guessing at the age, but i would say they were born some time in late January or early February and started laying about a month ago.

The picture isnt very good at capturing the wrinkles. The smaller eggs are Crackers. Frightful has always laid over sized eggs. Crackers eggs are the color Frightfuls used to be.

 

[terryg]

Eggs like that can have several causes. Some are simply genetic. I have a hen that has always laid a wrinkled egg. There's nothing wrong with her or the egg. But, since you've seen a change, it's good to worry. Are you in part of the country that is very hot right now? Heat causes stress and laying delays and that can cause wrinkles. That egg looks to me as if it was held a bit longer than usual in the oviduct.

But, infectious diseases can also cause odd eggs. As can a diet that is off-balance with minerals. Make sure your hens are drinking as much as usual - they often don't when it's hot. Avoid any carbohydrate treats. Make sure that the balance of her diet is the laying hen pellets. Sounds like you're not over-indulging in treats. Have oyster shell available free choice (you can see how I dispense that here: http://hencam.com/faq/what-to-feed-your-chickens/)

I've a feeling she'll be fine.

 

[Reurra]

Thanks Terry!

I did just change them up to regular grower feed since I integrated my other pullets in about a week ago. And yes its been a bit warm. I did have oyster out there for them, but the 10 week old pullets were eating it, so i took it out and crossed my fingers. Crackers eggs remain the same though.

Frightful has always seemed to have fits like this, whether it be wrinkled eggs, soft shelled eggs, dropping eggs from her roost at night, to eggs with tails on them. She is still pretty young, she has only been laying for about 2 months. But Crackers started just about 3 weeks ago and never once have I had any trouble with her eggs. They are always consistent, hard, brown and medium sized. Where as Frightful always has a surprise it seems.

I do give fresh water every morning too, they always have access to clean 2 water sources and both are indoors out of the sun.