what did my chicken lay?!

[ScrltOTara]

I have a 2yo easter egger that normally lays pastel green eggs. However, about 3 or 4 months ago, she was sick - for two days she kept straining like she had to poop. She was not egg bound and was fine after about three days. But has not laid an egg since.

Today she was in the box looking like she was going to lay an egg. I wasn't too excited as she likes to sit on the other eggs sometimes. So when I came home later on, I looked and found this very strange looking thing that she laid. It looks like it was supposed to be an egg shell, except it's more like that plastic bubble stuff - does anyone remember that? It's like half an egg shell that shriveled up like a shrinky dink and is very dark green.

Anyone have any idea what this might be and why she laid it? My husband said he found one like that a few weeks ago in the run, but didn't know what it was and didn't think anything of it.

I sure wish she'd lay again, I miss my green eggs

 

[ninabeast]

I think I speak for the whole forum when I say...we're gonna need to see a picture!

 

[boykin2010]

It sounds like she laid a softshell egg. My hen does it sometimes. I put lots of oystershell out and then they seem to quit doing it. It happens every once in a while. It is nothing to worry about. Just put some oystershell out and i think she will quit laying them.

Look up chicken softshell egg on google and see if it looks like what your chicken laid

 

[jjthink]

It can mean she has developed troubles with laying normal eggs, or it could be a once in a blue moon aberration. I'm concerned that she may have become an internal layer (especially with the long lapse in egg laying, unless that was during time of molt or winter). Internal laying is serious because it means an infection is inside and they will get weaker and weaker. The right antibiotic may help clear up the situation, at least for some time. Do a search here on BYC (see "Search" tab above) for internal layer and see what you think.
Meanwhile, anything you can do to encourage great nutrition for your feathered friend would be strongly advisable. Definitely also oyster shells. Consider a nutritional supplement like Avia Charge 2000.
Please keep us posted.
JJ

 

[ScrltOTara]

Well, when she was sick, she kept acting like she was straining to poop, and she had a lot of runny poop coming out of her vent. She was inside for two days, and I soaked her and kept her clean (and she had those intestinal peices in the water after I soaked her, so she must have shed her intestinal lining?), and after two days she was better. When we put her back in population, the re-pecking order was a bit hard on her, and since then, she's been a little bit standoffish from the other girls. We got three new chicks that were put into population a couple of weeks ago, and she "hangs" with them a lot - seems to like them. But other than not laying, she acts totally fine.

Here was her first egg - to show what the color SHOULD be:

and here is what she did today:

and here is what Tawny looks like

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I've got nothing. That's the strangest thing I've ever seen.

 

[ScrltOTara]

ROFL - that's us, the weird stuff always happens to our peeps...

 

[hisdaughter]

It will be interesting to see what the next few times brings. Hope all goes well

 

[the4heathernsmom]

Wow that is really weird I am anxious to see if anyone else has had that happen!!!

 

[Wendy'sChicksRock]

Looks like maybe someone got to and ate the egg? when they lay the soft ones sometimes they get broke open and its a free for all. not sure hope someone else chimes in for ya.. she she is pretty ...