What is this Mutant Egg?

farmstead (56) in homesteading • 7 years ago

On Monday I found a soft-shelled egg in my coop! What is this craziness??

Since I've already done a lot of research, I knew what it was and why it happened. BUT, I figured it would be great to share with you guys here!

This is, yes, it's an egg. It's a shell-less egg, often called a soft egg, or rubber egg. This is something that happens for a couple reasons, usually it happens when the hen is just first starting to lay. Other reasons this happens is because the chicken may not have enough calcium in their diet, or it can even be signs of some sort of illness. Wait, don't freak out though, it is more likely they're lacking calcium in their diet.

My chickens are just starting to lay, so that's the reason that I keep finding soft shelled eggs. I made sure and added an oyster shell supplement in their coop, in a separate dish, to make sure they could get the calcium they need.

Of course I poked the crap out of it. This was the first soft egg that I have ever touched!

Then I noticed something inside...

AND I DECIDED TO DISSECT IT!

SO, there was a soft egg, WITHIN a soft egg! How crazy is that?

I have got a few soft shelled eggs since. Everyone should be laying by the end of this month... I am sure almost every single chicken that has started laying has laid at least one soft shell egg. Totally weird.

Check out my most recent Steemit Posts.

As always @farmstead here blogging from FarmsteadSmith!

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7 years ago by farmstead (56)

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wholesomeroots (56) · 7 years ago

So cool and weird! I have had chickens for a long time, I have raised hundreds of them, and I have only ever had one shell less egg!? My girls eat a lot of dirt and grit from the ground, I wonder if the calcium is in a more useable form when in that finer stage than in chunky oyster shell form? Are all your hens laying the soft shell or just one? What breed? Thanks for sharing, upvoted and resteemed

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10 votes

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago (edited)

On my research it said that oyster shell is the easiest form.

Could be many reasons why mine have been laying many, or could be many reasons why maybe you simply just hadn't found yours. Who can say exactly? :)

I have many different breeds and 5 different age groups. I feed organic feed.

Thanks for stopping by!

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1 vote

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sacred-agent (61) · 7 years ago (edited)

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1 vote

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Wow, thanks for thinking of me! I will take a look tomorrow morning and see what I can see!! :) have a beautiful weekend!!

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1 vote

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sacred-agent (61) · 7 years ago (edited)

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

I took the time to try and sign up last night! We will see! Nothing yet from them.

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1 vote

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sacred-agent (61) · 7 years ago (edited)

Hi Farm, don't give up too easily... which I already "know" You won't...

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Hope You're week is going well... Cheers FarmStead !!

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Well I'm not giving up. Nothing to give up on! Well I'm interested in what you're up to!!

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1 vote

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sacred-agent (61) · 7 years ago (edited)

Good 2 Hear...

Am working on some projects outside of Steemit...

Happy to report, that my 12 to sometimes 16 hours per day/ watching & occasionally trading the cryptos... gonna buy another boat in the next 3-4 weeks.

Sorry for my delayed response.

Hope You & Your Family... both the human ones & the livestock ones are having a Good Weekend...

Cheers !!

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

We had out of town company for the last week+ so I've been pretty sparse here. But they left yesterday so I have to figure out how to get back into my routine.

I haven't heard anything back from that thing you showed me. Maybe I should try submitting again.

Wow, that's amazing, good for you, man!

manuka-badger (32) · 7 years ago

Maybe there's a chicken inside your chicken...?!

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1 vote

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Hahha

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1 vote

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jayjayjeffery (62) · 7 years ago

super cool! I've never had one like that. Only with calcium crusties on the outside. Don't know what that's all about....

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

It's nothing serious. Just an overlay of extra calcium. :)

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jayjayjeffery (62) · 7 years ago

oh good! I crush up the old egg shells and feed that to them with my kitchen slop. Never have used the oyster shell, at least not for a year or so.

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

When I was doing my research for my oyster Shell post the other week, it said that egg shells aren't enough. shrug, some people do fine with them, I guess some don't! Haha

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flemingfarm (68) · 7 years ago

I have a soft spot in my heart, yuk yuk, for the shell-less eggs. There is something really odd about them and I end up staring at the things for long periods of time. That and rolling them in my hands for the feel. I only get them with young hens or VERY rarely from the older hens.

Now, what would be REALLY interesting is if one of those softies was fertilized. You could put it in the incubator and see if it would grow. Could even put the egg in a plastic easter egg.

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

I wonder how much the shell aids in heat regulation and stuff like that... hmmmm!

Yeah I don't really enjoy getting them. Haven't really played with the other ones I've gotten cause they seem to be laying them on the poop deck. Must surprise them when they wake up on the roost or something. Lol

They do feel really cool!

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edthecanadian (63) · 7 years ago

I always hated going into the coop to get the eggs. Some of them were all poopy and sometimes the rooster would chase me around!

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Thankfully mine seem to be generally clean! Haha. I find a lot of the soft eggs on my poop deck area. They must surprise them in the early morning... haha

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pennsif (79) · 7 years ago

I've had these from time to time - but never dissected one!

Love the videos.

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

I only dissected because of the weird thing inside that seemed solid! So crazy! Thanks for liking the videos. I'm no videographer ... but I hope I do an OK job. Haha

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amberyooper (69) · 7 years ago

Yeah, those soft eggs are kinda freaky, aren't they? :-)

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

This one was by far the coolest. Since it had that green tint from the Easter Egger lol. And then a second squishy egg inside!

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steemitboard (66) · 7 years ago

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aunt-deb (65) · 7 years ago

Cool!
Bizarre, but very cool!

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Right?! That double egg one was crazy!

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1 vote

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lyndsaybowes (71) · 7 years ago

Yeah, those pullets will do some cray cray when they first start laying eh? I know it can't be from lack of calcium, you seem to have that beautifully under control. I love your little feeders for grits and oyster shells <3

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Thank you!!! I wouldn't expect anything less than weird from any animal of mine! Haha that's just the luck of my draw! Hahha

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lyndsaybowes (71) · 7 years ago

Like Mother Like Child lolol :)

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Exactly!!

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mother2chicks (61) · 7 years ago

That is just so weird, never seen a rubbery egg like that one. Interesting! 🐓

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Chickens are weirdos! Haha

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mother2chicks (61) · 7 years ago

You know you love your chickens😃🐓

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saved4newlife (51) · 7 years ago

Seen plenty of soft shell eggs growing up and not sure if it was an illness or just lacking calcium but for the most part it cleared up after giving more calcium. The strangest thing I ever saw was a huge egg containing 5 yolks. My brother made the newspaper for that one since it was his chicken that laid it. That was crazy! I think we still have the newspaper clipping from the 70s on that somewhere.

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Yeah, probably just lacking calcium. I guess the possible sickness is pretty rare.

5 yolks! Holy smokes! I think the record is 9. Haha. My quail gave me a 2 yolker yesterday! I get a few from the chickens as well, but 5, wooooweeee, that'd hurt! Poor things.

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whatisnew (65) · 7 years ago

I loved the videos; very interesting. May all of you eggs in the future be hard shells. Have a great time with your friends! :)

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

I love that you read everything! Thank you! It's been such a nice reunion so far! They're basically family. It sure doesn't feel like I haven't seen them in 6 years!

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whatisnew (65) · 7 years ago

6 years! Wow! It must be so much fun to see them again. I bet they are having a great time on the homestead! Be sure to check out my "Have You Smiled Today?" because I gave a shout-out for you! :)

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

I hope they're having a fine time! I know people usually like visiting us cause we're pretty relaxed. Haha

I did see and read it earlier today. I'm so glad my posts can do that for you! It really warms my heart!

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teeteresaflory (26) · 7 years ago

Wow that is the first soft egg I have seen. I laughed watching you play with it! Thank you!

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

I'm glad you had a laugh!! Haha! :) they feel super weird.

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artedellavita (64) · 7 years ago

Oyster shell for them it is! Also when they are new layers it can happen :)

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago

Yeah I said that in my article. Haha :) thanks for stopping by! :)

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stortebeker (68) · 7 years ago

Amazing! I've never seen, but never even heard of these kinda eggs. But from you're saying it seems to be quite common. Never stop learning (thanks to these wonderfully informative articles you post). :-)

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farmstead (56) · 7 years ago (edited)

I'm really glad I have this opportunity to share knowledge like this! There's so much about chickens I never even knew myself!! Thanks for taking the time to stop by!! :)