Soft shell broken egg at 2 years???

[CassieTheChickenTender]

My Buff orphington is about 2 years. She laid this last night... the yolk was broken in the nesting box and this was barely hanging out of her. I've been dealing with mites and I've gotten almost all of them gone so would stress cause this? The mites definitely liked her more than some of the others she's my kids favorite so I'm extremely worried. She lays pinkish brown eggs and this was white and soft

 

[Squawkers]

If the soft shells become the normal for her, then I’d worry. I get soft shells occasionally, and it doesn’t worry me at all. A while ago, when my EE started laying soft shelled eggs every day, then I started to get worried. I figured out she had a shell gland infection and treated her, and she is perfectly fine now. I know not everybody is that lucky, but for now I wouldn’t worry about it. (Sorry if I rambled)

 

[TaylorGlade]

Mites feed on a chicken’s blood. Leading to anemia, causing weakness and affecting the chicken's ability to properly absorb nutrients, like calcium, which is crucial for strong eggshells.

The irritation caused by mites leads to stress which can cause soft or shellless ones.

If a hen is battling mites, she may not eat or drink properly, which leads to deficiencies in critical nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus.

Mite infestations can weaken the hen’s immune system. A weak immune system means the hen may struggle to metabolize calcium and other nutrients effectively.

I'm glad you are working on the mites. Elector PSP is particularly effective if you haven't tried it yet and you can use it directly on chickens - as well as their coop.

I was just dealing with a hen laying shelless. I gave her 300 mg of calcium with D3 (just the OTC from Walmart) and she's back to laying regular eggs. Her issue isn't mites though. However, I hope you manage to eliminate the mites for her health. I would wait to see if she improves after the mites are gone first though.

 

[Themellowyellows]

If the soft shells become the normal for her, then I’d worry. I get soft shells occasionally, and it doesn’t worry me at all. A while ago, when my EE started laying soft shelled eggs every day, then I started to get worried. I figured out she had a shell gland infection and treated her, and she is perfectly fine now. I know not everybody is that lucky, but for now I wouldn’t worry about it. (Sorry if I rambled)

How do you treat a shell gland infection? Can you excplain a bit more? Im curious

 

[Squawkers]

How do you treat a shell gland infection? Can you excplain a bit more? Im curious

I used bovine penicillin (it was the only thing I had) it worked great. She had stopped laying before I started it and pretty much was on deaths door. Within a week she was acting completely fine and started laying about a month later. To my huge relief, her eggs were perfect! I think any antibiotics would work.

 

[aart]

My Buff orphington is about 2 years. She laid this last night... the yolk was broken in the nesting box and this was barely hanging out of her.

At that age she's probably ramping down egg production in preparation to molt.

It would be good to cut that blob in half lengthwise and take a couple more pics. I hope you still have it.

How is she acting?
I'd not jump right on the medication band wagon without more evidence.

 

[Themellowyellows]

I used bovine penicillin (it was the only thing I had) it worked great. She had stopped laying before I started it and pretty much was on deaths door. Within a week she was acting completely fine and started laying about a month later. To my huge relief, her eggs were perfect! I think any antibiotics would work.

Thats awesome! I had a hen and now that I think of it I feel like she had something similar to this. R.I.P she was my baby Bean.

After her epson salt bath

 

[Squawkers]

Thats awesome! I had a hen and now that I think of it I feel like she had something similar to this. R.I.P she was my baby Bean.
View attachment 3963643
After her epson salt bath

That’s sad, it’s so awful when they pass. She was beautiful though! What breed? This is my EE, Bunny (named that because she is like the Easter bunny)

 

[CassieTheChickenTender]

Mites feed on a chicken’s blood. Leading to anemia, causing weakness and affecting the chicken's ability to properly absorb nutrients, like calcium, which is crucial for strong eggshells.

The irritation caused by mites leads to stress which can cause soft or shellless ones.

If a hen is battling mites, she may not eat or drink properly, which leads to deficiencies in critical nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus.

Mite infestations can weaken the hen’s immune system. A weak immune system means the hen may struggle to metabolize calcium and other nutrients effectively.

I'm glad you are working on the mites. Elector PSP is particularly effective if you haven't tried it yet and you can use it directly on chickens - as well as their coop.

I was just dealing with a hen laying shelless. I gave her 300 mg of calcium with D3 (just the OTC from Walmart) and she's back to laying regular eggs. Her issue isn't mites though. However, I hope you manage to eliminate the mites for her health. I would wait to see if she improves after the mites are gone first though.

Thank you so much! Elector psp is what i used. i tore apart my entire coop to kill them all and then I had to spray one more time on Thursday. I'm hoping they will officially be gone! It's been such a mess. I could tell the mites really bothered her compared to some of my hens. Hopefully she will be okay

 

[Themellowyellows]

That’s sad, it’s so awful when they pass. She was beautiful though! What breed? This is my EE, Bunny (named that because she is like the Easter bunny) View attachment 3963647

So cute! Black sex link... Explains a lot