This is my first year raising chickens and up until yesterday they were doing great. Last night I noticed an egg laying on the ground when I went out to put them inside for the night. When I picked it up it was a soft rubbery yet perfectly shaped egg. I cut it open and it was normal inside. Tonight I found a partially formed rubbery egg with a tube like formation that was part of this egg. It was fluid filled with no yolk and some sort of white mass inside. All the other eggs are perfect. What's going on with this one? Up until yesterday I was getting normal eggs from all of them. They are getting plenty of oyster shell in their feed so I dont understand what has happened. Help!!!!

-- Denise (jphammock@msn.com), September 29, 2000

Answers

Don't worry about it. Sometimes chickens' systems can hiccup. It could also be low calcium levels, but you say they have access to oyster shells, so that's probably not it. I've had the same things, but they usually resolve themselves in a day or two. My pets love those weird eggs, though!

-- Laura Jensen (lrjensen@nwlink.com), September 30, 2000.

Could something be scaring the chickens? My young chickens lay shelless eggs when the have a big emotional upset.

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), September 30, 2000.

Well, I hope this resolves itself. It just seems to be one hen. I dont know of anything that would have frightened or upset them. I guess something could have happened that I dont know about. These eggs are sooo weird looking!

-- Denise (jphammock@msn.com), September 30, 2000.

Young chickens will do that occasionally. They just have a upset of some kind and it throws them off for a little bit. They'll work it out.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), September 30, 2000.

Doreen is right. Pullets( young hens) will lay these eggs sometimes. I took care of my mother's chickens all thru my growing up years, and ran into this, commonly. Eggs are fine to use.

-- Sharon WT (wildflower@ekyol.com), September 30, 2000.

I have had this happen as well. Someone told me once to put a little vinegar in their water. Have no clue if it worked or it was coincedence. But, it never seems to last very long. She'll return to normal most probably.

-- Katie (ktthegardener@yahoo.com), September 30, 2000.

You will probably get other weird ones occasionally, too. I was collecting eggs one day, and watched a hen lay an egg, which was like a normal egg, but had another shell-less egg covering the outside. Very weird, and I know it wasn't two hens, as I watched her deposit this thing. As if a second egg was being formed and didn't have a shell, or something. Have all shapes, some long skinny,and covered with wrinkles, which I had to blow out and save for the granddaughter, because they were unusual. Last week, we got two very tiny ones, about the size of quail eggs. Not to worry, as someone said, just a "hiccup". Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), September 30, 2000.

You don't think the thread on irradiated eggs has anything to do with this do you? Or could your chickens be the inspiration of the eggspiring chicken jokes we have been seeing on this forum. As has been pointed out since you are giving the oyster shells I don't know what this could be caused by but could just be a little bump let us know if they keep doing this. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), September 30, 2000.

Ha ha ha! No irradiation here! I didn't get anything strange yesterday or today so far. But I am 1 short for both days. I'm assuming she has stopped laying for now. Thanks for the reassurance everyone. I guess she'll work it out. I really dont know which one it is though. How would I be able to find out if I ever had to? Oh, and Gail, I'm glad you are back.

-- Denise (jphammock@msn.com), October 01, 2000.

Am I right in guessing that the vinegar in the water is to help with the absorbtion of the calcium, like putting it in orange juice for people?

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), October 01, 2000.

I would try adding cider vinegar to the chickens water, about 1 ounce per gallon ratio. This helps with mineral uptake/absorption, helps digestion, and kills bacteria, especially Salmonella bacteria which can be a problem with chickens. I have done this for many, many years and it's cheap insurance, also mix it in my horse's grain at an ounce per horse. Occasionally I also get one of those tiny eggs, but no more soft shells ever again.

-- Annie Miller (ann.miller@1st.net), October 01, 2000.

To find out which bird is doing it, separate the one(s) you think it might be. Notice where the egg is laid. Separate like this until you have the single bird. Good luck. I had a bird who did this once. It was weird. Haven't seen it again.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), October 02, 2000.

I have also gotten weird eggs occasionally such as the ones you described. I also had some tiny ones. It just went away on it's own. Along this line of discussion, I read that putting a smashed clove of garlic in the watering can help chickens lay better, fight off mites etc..

-- evelyn Bergdoll (evandjim@klink.net), October 04, 2000.