Wrinkly Eggs

[phil chave]

Hi all, one of my chickens (1 of 6) is laying wrinkly eggs. Now in all fairness, the wrinkles have been tiny but consistent, which suggests its from the same bird. However, today, she excelled herself and laid a giant walnut.

They have unlimited everything from hoppers in their coop and run, and help themselves. Layers pellets, corn, water, grit etc.
Around lunchtime, after the egg laying, I let them out into a run on the field, where they have all the above under cover, plus unlimited grass, weeds and anything else I choose to chuck over the fence, usually a few cabbage leaves, dandelion heads, and things out the garden.

As a consequence of the variety in their diet, I don't see any reason for this, unless someone on here can shed some light.
I read somewhere about bronchitis, but I spend a lot of time nearby, and have never seen or heard any of them coughing. Actually, they all seem very bright and healthy.

I have kept the video very small not to take up much bandwidth. Darn it, the upload was not allowed. Ok here's some pictures instead.
Thanks for looking
Kind regards
phil

 

[My2butterflies]

The poor girl who pushed that out

Where are you located?
Is it hot right now in your part of the world?
I did a quick search and found this. Illness and diet aside(since they don’t sound like a problem) Is it hot, are they getting fresh clean water daily? Any bio film building up on water dishes? I know in the summer here I clean them out a couple times a week. Nasties grow fast when it’s warm.
Is the hen older? Or younger? If she’s a new layer that’s had consistent problems I’d guess it’s a defective shell gland. I’m very interested to see what others say.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here are couple of links that talk about shell problems. One calls it thin-shelled, the other corrugated.

Egg Quality Handbook

https://thepoultrysite.com/publications/egg-quality-handbook

Sumi – Egg Quality

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

I agree, from your posts I think it is a faulty shell gland. I really do not think it has anything to do with the water.

When I have issues I try to determine if it is an individual problem or a flock problem. I do not want to mess up the rest of the flock when the problem is one individual. As long as the others are laying good eggs it is not a disease or anything you are doing.

 

[phil chave]

Hi My2Butterflies
I'm in Cheddar, Somerset, UK. No, it is definitely not hot here at the moment. Winter approacheth.
The water issue may be an indicator.
I used to bring fresh water up from the house daily to top up their drinking bowls, which were also cleaned daily.
I used to let them run amok around the garden, but the destruction was incredible, so as mentioned above I fenced off some of the field and let them use that. The point is, they had access to rainwater and tap water.
Their preference was always for rainwater. So much so that I placed clean water near a puddle and watched as they drank the puddle and ignored the fresh water.
So as a consequence, I now give them rainwater from the barrel off the greenhouse. It's clear and clean, but not tap water.
Perhaps I should go back to giving them tap water.
If it is that, it only affects one out of the six.

So your last point seems to perhaps have the most merit.
I've had them from POL 18 months ago so they must be nearly two now.
The crinkly egg started about 3 months in. But it was very minor, and started as roughness, or what looked like thick and thin shell. Odd days would have a crease in it, but nothing like the photos, until now. There has been deterioration over time.
So your theory about a defective shell gland seems logical and quite likely.

I kinda hope this is a one off and she will go back to a little smoother from now on. She's probably the one that makes all the noise when she comes out the nesting box? Poor thing.

Thank you so much for all the effort you put in to answering this query, I appreciate your help. Regards, phil

 

[aart]

I had a hen lay a couple of those clunkers, a few months apart IIRC, her eggs were never great.
Definitely a faulty shelling gland.
She became severely lethargic, stopped eating and drinking, and I euthanized her.
Her uterus(shell gland) was infected and full of calcification.

 

[My2butterflies]

Hi My2Butterflies
I'm in Cheddar, Somerset, UK. No, it is definitely not hot here at the moment. Winter approacheth.
The water issue may be an indicator.
I used to bring fresh water up from the house daily to top up their drinking bowls, which were also cleaned daily.
I used to let them run amok around the garden, but the destruction was incredible, so as mentioned above I fenced off some of the field and let them use that. The point is, they had access to rainwater and tap water.
Their preference was always for rainwater. So much so that I placed clean water near a puddle and watched as they drank the puddle and ignored the fresh water.
So as a consequence, I now give them rainwater from the barrel off the greenhouse. It's clear and clean, but not tap water.
Perhaps I should go back to giving them tap water.
If it is that, it only affects one out of the six.

So your last point seems to perhaps have the most merit.
I've had them from POL 18 months ago so they must be nearly two now.
The crinkly egg started about 3 months in. But it was very minor, and started as roughness, or what looked like thick and thin shell. Odd days would have a crease in it, but nothing like the photos, until now. There has been deterioration over time.
So your theory about a defective shell gland seems logical and quite likely.

I kinda hope this is a one off and she will go back to a little smoother from now on. She's probably the one that makes all the noise when she comes out the nesting box? Poor thing.

Thank you so much for all the effort you put in to answering this query, I appreciate your help. Regards, phil

With heat and water not sounding like a problem then it must be a gland or other reproductive issue. I’m not sure what can be done about that:/ But good that it won’t be a flock problem.
I hope for the hens sake it is just a one off thing Best of luck with your girl!