What's up with this weird-looking egg?

[Xtina]

Today I found this egg in my coop. It wasn't cracked until it touched another egg, so the shell is just really fragile. But what's up with that shape? And I've been throwing tons of grit and eggshells out there for them, so why is this shell soft in the first place?

 

[blackclownfish16]

Often times a pullet will lay a soft egg or two when she first starts laying.

 

[Snakeoil]

Low calicum.

 

[kodiakchicken]

You know, mine get tons of oyster shell mixed right in with their feed, so I know they aren't avoiding it, and ocassionally we'll go through spells where the shells are soft and chalky.

I'm beginning to think it just happens now and then. If it happens several times in a row you might want to check on your calcium ration, but other than that I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[98 gt]

First of all, that egg is ginormous... This can also be a result of stress. When my chickens were attacked we found 13 eggs with no shells where the day before the eggs were normal... I guess they dropped their eggs so they could run better to escape, unfortunately not many made it...

 

[DDRanch]

I had this type of egg come from my older Americana during the last season she laid just prior to a moult last fall. I actually saw her pass a very soft shelled egg standing while free ranging up on two occasions. She is not laying this year and looks like she won't.