Sunday 27 June 2010

A Soft Shell Egg

Whilst sitting in the back garden trying to cool down in the early evening sun, one of the hens laid an egg on the patio about two feet from where I was sitting. Unfortunately I didn't see which one laid it.  I went to pick it up and immediately knew it was different from the others that had been laid. As I picked it up, my fingers made a small dent in the shell. It was soft, not all over but at the ends.

I had read that the first pullet egg may be soft-shelled until her system gets into its stride. But persistent soft shell eggs indicate a problem, calcium deficiency. Also a sudden shock (like a sudden downpour of rain, a loud noise or the sight of a predator) can also cause a soft shelled egg to be laid.

I think we just need to monitor the situation for a while and look for any signs of stress or ilness. But hopefully, everything will be fine!

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