Wrinkled egg!

[Anonymous]

Hi all

I'm in need of some advice again - sorry!

I have noticed that every now and then over the last week, we have been getting a wrinkled egg amongst the three beauties that my girls lay every day. I have trawled the internet for advice, but have seen a couple of reasons for this and still don't know if I should be worried:

1) Calcium deficiency - I already have a mixed grit available for the hens, so would they be getting enough through this?
2) Lack of muscle control in older hens - my girls are ex-batts, so could this be the case, and if so I would guess that I don't need to worry too much as the culprit is not ill.

The egg shells are hard and just as thick as the others, but the entire shell is covered in wrinkles!!

Can anyone offer a cause for this and let me know if I shoud make some alterations to the environment/food etc?

Thank you!

Helen

 

[foxy]

Hi It sounds like they are just a bit worn out, exbatts are designed to lay prolifically, even during the winter within a controlled enviroment. Sometimes in an older hen, things don't work quite as well, the egg can spend a little long in the egg shell gland, causing extra calcium to be laid and a slightly ridged texture.
It is not unusual despite a balanced diet for a hybrid/exbatt to start laying "wrinkly shelled" eggs. Some disease cause egg shell abnormalites, however, as she is an exbatt she would have been routinely vaccinated against those diseases

 

[Blue]

I'll second that Foxy!
Our ex-batts sometimes give us very odd eggs
just one of those things...

 

[Davidd]

Hi, she may well lay normally after her moult and when she has had a rest. Sometimes hens do lay wrinkled and odd shaped eggs now and then but will return to normal laying after a break.
regards, David

 

[Tallulah]

I too have been getting some wonderfully wrinkled eggs lately but as all my ex-batts are fine, I just except that this must be the 'norm' - I have another one that lays really oval shaped eggs and always has since we got her. Seeing as my chooks eat better than me, I'm not worried by it

 

[ncotb]

havent got ex-batts, but have some older purebreeds, they lay odd eggs too!!! Its an age thing.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your replies.

I think I'll stop worrying about it now as all my girls are happy and healthy. From your replies, I think I'll just put it down to age! After all, we get enough wrinkles as we age, so why shouldn't the hens?!

Thanks again

 

[foxy]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your replies.

I think I'll stop worrying about it now as all my girls are happy and healthy. From your replies, I think I'll just put it down to age! After all, we get enough wrinkles as we age, so why shouldn't the hens?!

Thanks again