Wonky shaped eggs?

[User635240]

Hi all, my flock has recently produced some eggs that look oblong, or sagging, or like large beach pebbles, with inconsistent curves. Are these viable to incubate? What is the cause?
(Among the hens, there are a few who might just be starting to lay now.)

 

[Perris]

this article covers the topic comprehensively
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[Sammster]

Very interesting. I have a hen who regularly lays mis-shapen eggs . Usually a bit long. Largest eggs of all my girls. It's the norm for her. I don't think it's stress. She is the "top" hen, and very laid back.
I also have a hen who regularly lays spotted eggs. Also the norm for her. She is the lowest hen out of my original group of girls.

 

[Huntmaster]

Are these viable to incubate?

I don't incubate any odd shaped eggs or even too large or too small.

 

[Isadora]

They may or may not be viable but it's not recommended to incubate eggs that are funny shaped or have strange shell texture.

 

[User635240]

this article covers the topic comprehensively
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

Thanks. That explained a lot.
Are these wonky shaped eggs viable for incubation and hatching?

 

[Perris]

Thanks. That explained a lot.
Are these wonky shaped eggs viable for incubation and hatching?

I wouldn't use any abnormal egg for hatching, and anyway it's very early in the season and fertility may not be good yet, so you have time to wait and see if their systems work out these kinks before setting eggs.

 

[User635240]

I wouldn't use any abnormal egg for hatching, and anyway it's very early in the season and fertility may not be good yet, so you have time to wait and see if their systems work out these kinks before setting eggs.

Hi thanks. I see you have a Swedish flower rooster? Which hatchery did you get him from?

 

[Perris]

I'm in the UK not the US. We don't have hatcheries, just small scale breeders.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi all, my flock has recently produced some eggs that look oblong, or sagging, or like large beach pebbles, with inconsistent curves. Are these viable to incubate?

You can incubate them and get some to hatch. It is not recommended. Your hatch rate is often not very good. If it is something genetically wrong with the hen you don't want to have those genetics in your flock.

(Among the hens, there are a few who might just be starting to lay now.)

It is also recommended to not hatch the first pullet eggs. You can get some to hatch and produce viable chicks. When a pullet first starts to lay her eggs are typically pretty small compared to what they will be later. If chicks hatch from those eggs they will be small since there is not enough room or nutrients for the chicks to grow very large. They may not be real strong. Also, many pullets do not lay perfect eggs when they first start and an egg needs to be near perfectly put together to hatch a healthy chick. Your hatch rate may not be very high and your mortality rate may be a little higher with those pullet eggs. I find that if I wait until a pullet has been laying for at least a month before I incubate her eggs I do better.

What is the cause?

While some of these things could indicate something wrong with the hen, when they first start laying some pullets have problems putting the egg together correctly and getting it laid as it should be. Plus what the others said.