What is happening with my eggs!?

[MRquail]

For some background info, I got laying hens from a local farm. They had chickens ranging from several months to 3 years old and I am unsure of the ages for my chickens. I've had them for about a month, and one of the chickens had some issues (leg mites and vent gleet, all treated and now cleared up).

A few days ago I noticed an egg with a super thing shell, like it disintegrated when I picked it up and it cracked. It has never happened before so I thought it was a one off thing. But today I found An oblong egg I think belongs to the chicken who laid the thin shelled egg. It's the same color and I did notice the shell is thinner than usual, just not as fragile as the first egg I found. Then a super tiny egg in a shell color I haven't had yet! I'm wondering if the tiny one is from the chicken that had some issues in the beginning and is maybe just starting to lay now?

But any insight would be helpful. Is this a sign of a deficiency or other issue? I went out and got oyster shells to supplement in case of a calcium deficiency. The picture is the first"strange" egg I found the other day

 

[MRquail]

These are the eggs I collected today including the oblong egg, tiny egg, and regular sized egg.

 

[InterestingChickens]

I wouldn't worry too much as (as you said) it may have just been a one off, however, do keep an eye on it. Fairy eggs are fairly common with pullets just beginning to lay and as hens get older their shells get thinner. Definitely keep on providing oyster shells on a voluntary basis. This article might be of use for future reference.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What do you feed? Did you have any supplemented calcium available like crushed eggshells?

 

[MRquail]

What do you feed? Did you have any supplemented calcium available like crushed eggshells?

It is a basic layer feed, they get scratch grains mixed with meal worms every morning when I let them out to free range, and once a week when I do my weekly baking I feed them back the eggs shells but didn't supplement with oyster shells daily until today, so hopefully that will fix the thin shells!

 

[MRquail]

I wouldn't worry too much as (as you said) it may have just been a one off, however, do keep an eye on it. Fairy eggs are fairly common with pullets just beginning to lay and as hens get older their shells get thinner. Definitely keep on providing oyster shells on a voluntary basis. This article might be of use for future reference.

I am wondering if the one chicken who had the issues is actually quite young and is just starting to lay. I only have 4 hens, and I know my two RIR lay the cream colored eggs and my orpington lays the slightly darker brown eggs (I get two cream eggs and one darker brown egg every day). Then today I ended up getting 4 eggs, and the fairy egg is in a shell color I haven't seen before!

 

[nuthatched]

It is a basic layer feed, they get scratch grains mixed with meal worms every morning when I let them out to free range, and once a week when I do my weekly baking I feed them back the eggs shells but didn't supplement with oyster shells daily until today, so hopefully that will fix the thin shells!

Cut out the scratch and mealworms, those are treats, for once or twice a week. Too much causes nutrition and reproductive issues.

 

[MRquail]

Cut out the scratch and mealworms, those are treats, for once or twice a week. Too much causes nutrition and reproductive issues.

Thanks! I only toss out a handful in the morning for all 4 hens but I'll cut it out, and hopefully along with the calcium the problem will work itself out!