What the heck did my chicken lay?

[Crow13]

What in the world is this? We cut it open and looked like a normal egg. We have laying hens and chicks in the same coop. Chicks are not of laying age yet so we have grower feed in the coop along with layer feed. I think everyone in the coop is eating the grower. Is this a calcium deficiency? Infection? It’s scary looking!!

 

[nuthatched]

It's an underdeveloped yolk follicle, I believe.
The red part splits apart to release the yolk.

 

[Crow13]

That’s interesting. What makes them lay it before it’s done forming? Environmental factors?

 

[nuthatched]

That’s interesting. What makes them lay it before it’s done forming? Environmental factors?

It might have just been knocked loose, I'm not sure. I can't recall any studies on it.

 

[Violanna]

Wow this is crazy!! I’ve never seen anyone have anything like this before! I hope someone with more experience has actually seen it and can chime in. Really neat to learn about the follicles