Soft shell eggs with long white membrane attached. What's causing it?

[doodle doo]

In the past 2 weeks, I've found several soft shelled eggs with a strange mass of white membrane like material attached to the large end. I have 6 hens of which only 3 are laying right now. The other 3 are broody, molting and 1 hasn't laid an egg in over 3 months but is otherwise in good health (as far as I can tell). I have no idea which of the current layers is producing these odd eggs.

Here are some pics of one laid today. I'm curious as to what could be causing this and if one of my hens are at risk for death from this.

Also, one of them has been laying shell less eggs recently. Today, there was a shell less egg and the soft egg pictured below in the same nest box so I doubt if the same hen is laying both shell less and soft shelled eggs.

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark aka: Doodle doo

 

[A Chicken Owner]

This problem may be because there isn't enough calcium in their diet. Feed them shell grit.

 

[Spikes Chooks]

I have had a chicken laying both soft shelled eggs and completely shell-less ones. She was a young pullet at the time and it just took a few weeks for her body to work out how to manage it all. Are your chickens young? Or if they are older, I understand that they can lay a few odd ones coming in or going off the lay, and when they are soon to finish laying completely. Maybe one of the moulting ones has started again and they'll be a bit odd till her body gets into the swing of things. I don't think it's a sign of illness or anything major to worry about.

Having shell grit available at all times is good advice. I have also supplemented their feed with liquid calcium which comes with vitamins to ensure they are absorbing it properly. Maybe try that as well, if it doesn't sort itself out in a few days.

Good luck!

 

[doodle doo]

This problem may be because there isn't enough calcium in their diet. Feed them shell grit.

I have had a chicken laying both soft shelled eggs and completely shell-less ones. She was a young pullet at the time and it just took a few weeks for her body to work out how to manage it all. Are your chickens young? Or if they are older, I understand that they can lay a few odd ones coming in or going off the lay, and when they are soon to finish laying completely. Maybe one of the moulting ones has started again and they'll be a bit odd till her body gets into the swing of things. I don't think it's a sign of illness or anything major to worry about.

Having shell grit available at all times is good advice. I have also supplemented their feed with liquid calcium which comes with vitamins to ensure they are absorbing it properly. Maybe try that as well, if it doesn't sort itself out in a few days.

Good luck!

Thanks Chicken Owner and Spikes Chooks, They do have access to Oyster Shell, but don't seem to show much interest in it. They also free range from dawn to dusk daily. My hens are all between 18 and 24 months old. My acre of land is 99% decomposed granite and sand so they get plenty of grit (not so great for gardening

) .
I'll take your advice and get more calcium in their diets. I'm going to put crushed egg shells in their lay pellets and try to crush the oyster shell flakes into smaller bits. Spikes, I'm also going to try to locate some liquid calcium and add it to their water.
Thanks again for your help.
Mark

 

[mrstomcat]

I have a couple of chickens that do the same thing. They all have oyster shell in their food and I also throw some out to them. As doodle doo says they don't seem to be interested in the shell. Could I give them chick grit since it is smaller? I also give them the omega3 feed mixed with laying pellets and show bird food. Would I give the liquid calcium in the water or indivuallly. I do not know which ones are doing this. One green egg today and two brown eggs. Sometimes I catch just the egg with no shell at all before it gets busted. All the shells had been very hard until recently.

 

[A Chicken Owner]

[COLOR=008000]In the past 2 weeks, I've found several soft shelled eggs with a strange mass of white membrane like material attached to the large end. I have 6 hens of which only 3 are laying right now. The other 3 are broody, molting and 1 hasn't laid an egg in over 3 months but is otherwise in good health (as far as I can tell). I have no idea which of the current layers is producing these odd eggs.[/COLOR] [COLOR=008000]Here are some pics of one laid today. I'm curious as to what could be causing this and if one of my hens are at risk for death from this.[/COLOR] [COLOR=008000]Also, one of them has been laying shell less eggs recently. Today, there was a shell less egg and the soft egg pictured below in the same nest box so I doubt if the same hen is laying both shell less and soft shelled eggs.[/COLOR] [COLOR=008000]Any information would be appreciated.[/COLOR] [COLOR=008000]Thanks,[/COLOR] [COLOR=008000]Mark aka: Doodle doo[/COLOR]

What are the breeds of the hens that are laying these eggs?

 

[doodle doo]

The 3 that are currently laying eggs are a Rhode Island Red (Production Red), Black Star (Sex Link) and a Brahma Cochin. I've eliminated the Cochin as she just began laying again and her eggs have a distinctive shape and rose/taupe color. So it's either the Red or the Black and I'm leaning toward the Red (she's historically laid the biggest brown eggs, rarely misses a day).

 

[A Chicken Owner]

Yeah I'd say that's from your RIR.