What is it and what does it mean?

[Gator113]

I am new at all of this.

I have a Toulouse mama sitting on her eggs, about 12 of them. This is her first time at this. Her nest is in a shed I made for her and her 3 friends. She has been on these eggs for almost a month...I don't know exactly, but I think they should hatch soon. Today I found a membrane of sorts in the middle of the shed. No shell, just a wet egg shaped membrane. There was no yoke or other contents and it was flattened.

I have another female that started breeding about 2 weeks ago and I think she has laid one egg, but the next day the egg was destroyed, the shell was completely gone, the nest she had made was flattened out and all that was left was a small bit of the white part of the yoke. Other than the one occupied nest, I have cleaned out the shed since the disappearance of the egg, so this membrane item is new.

Is it possible that the goose that has started to lay could have laid a shell-less egg? OR, could this be what is left over from a hatched egg and the gosling is simply hidden under mom?

I hope that rambling was clear... I am a nervous father-to-be. LOL Oh and last week one of my Muscovy moms hatched her eggs... I have 14 little babies running around now. I have another Muscovy about to hatch her 6 eggs and a goose egg (long story). I am loving this, but I am scared to death that I am going to screw this up from lack of experience.

Next time, I am going to buy an incubator....

Cheers,

Dan

UPDATE: I no longer have 14 little Muscovy ducklings. After my post, I went out to hang out with them and found that several chickens managed to get to their yard. The darn murderers killed all but 3. I brought the 3 in to raise in a box. Such a senseless waste. They didn't eat them, they just killed them.

Sad day....

 

[New Dreamz]

I had the same thing happen to me today. I went to collect my chicken eggs and I reached in and almost wet myself when I grabbed on to a gelatinous egg. Freaked me right out, I thought I grabbed a frog...lol Freaky when your expecting and egg to feel like an egg and its a cold ball of jello. I have noticed that one of my hens has been laying these enormous double yolkers, however the shells have been getting thinner. I bought a bag of oyster grit, but cant find it, I know hubby shoved it somewhere and cant remember so he says he never saw it. Guess im going to have to go buy some more. My hens have free range, someone told my they shouldnt need grit since they free range, but im starting to think the jello egg is evidence of a deficiency.

 

[pete55]

In the UK it called a 'Lash'. Basically it's a shell-less egg. Sometimes its causes the bird some problems in passing it and the appear 'off-colour'. Yes, ensure there is free access to oystershell and grit which may help to resolve the problem. However it is also sometime due to a fault with the oviduct. It seems to happen to birds coming into lay as their oviduct functions erratically.

The problem usually rights itself with eggs becoming normal again. Be on the lookout though for problems in egg laying. Sorry to hear about your ducklings - thats terribly sad

Pete

 

[Gator113]

Thank you folks for answering my question. You were very helpful.

As for my 11 little 6 day old ducklings, well, if I knew for sure which chickens were responsible, I'd feed them to my dog. I find that this bothers me more than I would have thought it would. They were all so cute and helpless...it's just so darn sad.