what did my chicken lay?!

[boykin2010]

Did it feel rubbery? I have gotten soft shell eggs like that with no yolks and they felt sort of rubbery. It happens every once in a while. Try giving some oystershell and see if she eats it. Chickens who need oystershell will eat it...

 

[ScrltOTara]

It was sort of rubbery, but also felt sorta like a leaf... hard to explain. We have oyster shell, but they don't eat it much, so we're not real good about giving it to them. I'll be sure to give them some today and see...

 

[jjthink]

Have oyster shell available 24/7 365 days/year. They know precisely when they need it and when they need it they need it right then and there.
JJ

 

[hencam]

Sometimes the soft-shelled eggs look empty because the hens eat the insides. But, if you found it right after it was laid, then you have a deformed egg and the problem goes beyond getting enough calcium. Many things can cause this. A likely suspect is an E. coli infection. Huge commercial producers have this issue (so there's research.) At it's worst, the egg shell gets stuck and the yolks back up behind and you get lethal peritonitis. If you want to spend the $, a vet can send a blood test to a lab and you'll know for sure. Most backyard keepers, though, just let things take their course. Keep the coop dry, clean, as dust-free as possible (E. coli loves damp, dusty air) and it might right itself.

 

[scootermom]

I got one like that when my hens were new to laying - then a few double yokers mixed with shell-less eggs (yuck!) and now they are regular as can be.