Unusual Eggs & What Causes Them!
Have you even looked in the nest box and been surprised by what you found? Most of us are used to store bought eggs. They all look the same. No imperfections inside or out. Egg producers make sure you don’t get abnormal eggs but that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to find one in your backyard. It is a natural part of chicken keeping so let’s take a look at common unusual eggs and what causes them.
You will see me talk a lot about new layers in this article. When a hen starts laying, often times her reproductive system isn’t fully developed and can cause a variety of issues.
You will also see me refer to “stress” on a chicken. Stress can be caused by so many different things. Mating, bullying, pecking order, nutrition, weather (heat, cold, storms), light conditions, injury, illness, parasites, predator attacks or sightings, dirty or crowded living conditions, etc. If you are concerned about a problem that won’t go away, it is best to consult an avian vet.
Shout out to my amazing followers on Instagram who sent me their egg pictures to use for this article and videos.
Wrinkled Eggs
Eggs that have ripples or wrinkles happen often in chicken keeping. New layers will commonly lay eggs that look odd like the ones you see here. If they are coming from an older hen, she might be dealing with some stress. She could also have a defective shell gland. Egg drop syndrome, infectious bronchitis, New Castle disease, and Avian Influenza can all effect the reproductive system as well.
If is happened once in awhile, I wouldn’t be too concerned. If it becomes a common occurance, I would investigate with the help of a vet.
Cracked & Repaired Eggs
When you find an egg that looks like it is cracked but the crack has been repaired, that is exactly what happened! Stress on the shell gland during shell formation can cause the shell to crack and the shell is repaired further in the process. Stress or pressure on the shell gland can be caused by a number of things. If it happens over an over, it is time for some investigation.
Blood on the Shell
Eggs can come out with blood on the outside of the shell. In my experience, it is most often from a new layer who is just starting to lay and stretched too far, or from the laying of a very large egg. Other things such as vent prolapse, passing of a difficult dropping, or pecking from other hens can also cause blood to be on the shell. A one time finding of blood is nothing to be worried about. Wash it off and the egg is safe.
Blood Inside
Blood spots are very common and blood tinged egg whites are also possible. Both are caused by blood vessels rupturing during the egg making process. It is safe to eat these eggs but if you are like me, you pick out the blood spots or you cook them up and feed them to the dog.
Double/ Multi Yolks
When two (or more) yolks are released in the oviduct at the same time, the shell can form around both resulting in a double yolker. Usually the hen is a young hen or she is genetically disposed to laying doubles. While the egg is safe to eat and there isn’t much you can do about it, watch for your chicken to become egg bound which is a life threatening condition. You shouldn’t try to incubate double yolk eggs because they will not have enough air to both develop inside the egg.
Shell Deposits
Many times, you’ll find an egg with little bumps on it. They can feel rough to the touch or have visible bumps. These are caused by excess calcium or sometimes vitamin D that has settled on the outside of the shell. Sometimes it is from too much of those resources in their diet, changes in lighting, or rare diseases. The eggs are still safe to eat.
Flat Sided
Eggs that look like the one pictured here, are caused by a delay in an egg moving through the system and the next egg bumping into it along the way. Often times this is caused by stress or disease…sometimes it is just a fluke.
Thin Shells, No Shells, Tails
New layers will often surprise you with a thin shelled egg or an egg with no shell at all. If it comes from a new layer, it is likely just a mistake as the body is figuring things out. Older hens often do the same thing but it is more because their egg laying system is wearing out. Other things that can cause this are stress, nutrient deficiency, and high temperatures. If the egg comes out with a tail, the same things are true but the egg was pushed out and the tail got stuck until the egg was able to be passed fully.
This looks more like a thin shell. Eggs with no shell will feel rubbery and bounce back.
Fairy Eggs
Eggs that come out super tiny (think small marble) are sort of fun to find! People call them all sorts of things but fairy eggs are what I hear most often. Some even consider them to be good luck. They are common in new layers and usually caused by a piece of tissue or egg white breaking free and a shell forming around it. They usually don’t have yolks.
Oddly Shaped Eggs
Chickens can lay really long or oddly shaped eggs. This is more seen in older hens with larger eggs. Pressure inside the egg laying system can cause them to elongate. Double yolks can also cause this issue. The eggs are safe to eat. If you notice it happening a lot in younger hens, it could be egg drop syndrome, new castle disease or infectious bronchitis.
Lash Eggs
The dreaded lash egg is no one’s friend. It actually isn’t an egg at all. It is laid by the hen like she would lay an egg but it is (brace yourself) a coagulated bunch of infection. They are caused by salpingitis and a build up of the infection that pulls away from the body. When you find one, you should only handle it with gloved hands and you should disinfect the coop. If you know who laid the egg, a vet visit is in order as a lash egg is never a good sign. It can look like the ones below or a little different but if you cut into it you will see layers.
Eggs are so fascinating!! Do you have a weird egg you think I should see? Email me at purelychickens@gmail.com