First egg + mysterious sack?

[SandM]

Hi!
My barnevelder just laid her first egg this morning, which was exciting... but encasing the egg was a strange object, which had to be peeled off to retrieve it. It was like a white/cream sack attached to a sort of cord. It had a strange rubbery texture to it.

Does anyone know what this could be? And could it present any problems for her laying in the future?

Thanks!!

[vicky]

I have heard of getting eggs within eggs - did it look at all like an egg? Can you attach a photo? It sounds a bit gross...is the hen ok?

[SandM]

Hi,

Sorry I forgot to take a photo - and it seems to have disintegrated now. It more or less looked like the egg was encased in a bit of white and some of the stuff that lines the shell usually (I don't know the technical term).
She still hasn't laid again though... so I'll just wait and see what happens with her egg-difficulties. hmmm... Thanks for trying to figure it out though.

[SandM]

UPDATE: she's still having issues... yesterday she laid an egg in the middle of the yard rather than the nesting box, but to make matters worse it was soft-shelled. hmmm...

M

[vicky]

When they first come into lay I think they can lay all sorts of strange tiny/big/wrinkly etc eggs.
I'm sure you're feeding her layers mash/pellets and she has grit/oystershell so maybe just cross your fingers and hope she sorts herself out soon? So long as she is ok try not to worry (easier said than done sometimes with chooks!).
Have you got any fake eggs/golf balls to leave in the nestbox to give her the idea? I have heard of confining them in the house till they lay.
Vicky

[Oolalula]

Yup would agree with the post above. It can take them a while to sort themselves out when they start laying.
Eggs are pretty complex creations - they have lots of layers and components, and it sounds like she's just getting everything going.

One of our hens occasionally lays outside in a bush, there's no rhyme or reason for it though! I'm sure once she gets into the rhythm of it, she'll start using the nestbox frequently.

If she continues to lay soft shelled eggs consider adding a bit of extra oyster grit to her feed. layers mash should have sufficient amount of grit in it though, but sometimes when they free range they need a boost.

good luck

[Eyren]

Sounds like a lash to me - a bit of the reproductive tract wall. Happens from time to time, apparently (though I haven't seen one from my hens), and shouldn't affect future laying. Re the soft-shelled one, it might have just passed through her a bit too quickly after the previous weirdness, but if she lays any more softies, you might want to give her some extra calcium.

[SandM]

Thanks for all the advice! We have given her more calcium... and she hasn't tried to lay again since the softy. So hopefully the next one will be better.

M

[Lauren b]

i think so.

i think acouple of my chicks layed that Did it have a shell and was it a bit soft
thanks lauren