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Egg Abnormalities


From time-to-time, you may notice one or two slightly strange-looking eggs. The quality of the eggs can indicate a number of things in your chickens, so it’s important you stay on the look-out for problems.


There are a few egg abnormalities you may come across

Soft – shelled eggs – occasionally, a hen may lay a soft-shelled egg. If this happens once in a while, then it’s not necessarily any cause for concern. It’s only if this becomes a regular occurrence that there may be an underlying problem. Soft-shelled eggs can be cause by some illnesses, or a calcium deficiency in your chook’s diet.


Blood spots – if you notice a blood spot in the yolk, there’s no need to panic. This is usually just caused by a small blood vessel breakage, possibly due to a small fright the bird received while the yolk was in development.


Watery Egg Whites – a hen’s eggs may get a little watery as she gets older, but it’s also caused by hot weather. When it’s quite warm outside, the albumen (egg white) can be a little watery. If you collect your eggs promptly, then this shouldn’t be a problem.

Customer Images

One of my hens' first eggs.
These were laid by the same hen, a day apart.
The first egg from our light sussex Opal was a broken rubber double yolker.
Soft egg shrivels
These eggs were from the same hen on the same day
Crinkly egg
Egg in hand

Comments

Anne, 27 July 2016

One of my hens is a light Suffolk and eighteen months old. For the last four mornings, I have found eggs laid by her. The egg has a collapsed soft shell,but seem to have a normal yolk and white. She is well otherwise.


An Omleteer, 23 June 2013

I was worried as last few days the eggs have had watery whites. Now I know it's down to the hot weather I can relax! Great information on the site. Thanks.


Julie, 21 May 2012

My chicken gets upset when she lays a egg with a soft shell. Now we know whats up we can help her be a happy hen.