When a chicken lays an egg, you’re expecting it to be hard and well normal
But when your chicken is laying liquid eggs it can be a cause of concern
This is not normal as an egg needs to have a fully formed shell
So why is your chicken laying liquid eggs?
One of the main reasons could be calcium deficiency
Let’s get into more detail in this article
Why Is My Chicken Laying Liquid Eggs?
It’s hard to give the reasons of a chicken laying eggs that has no shell without having a look at it
But there are a number of reasons why this could happen
One of the main reason could be calcium deficiency
Not Enough Calcium
You see calcium makes up a large portion of the egg shell
You know what this means right?
Your hen needs a lot of calcium when they are laying eggs
So without enough calcium, your hen’s body won’t produce eggs that are fully formed
Or they would lay eggs with very thin shells
It Just Happens Sometimes
Sometimes a hen will lay an egg that is all liquid and no shell so it’s hard to figure out why this has happened
If it’s happened just the one time, it’s nothing to worry about at all
Hen Is Young
If your hen is young and not fully grown adult the first few eggs they lay may not have any shells at all
Illness
Another reason why your chicken is laying liquid eggs is due to an illness
Keep an eye out and see if your hen is not feeling well
Is your hen staying away from the flock?
If you notice any unusual behavior it’s best to take your chicken to the avian vets
They would be able to give you expert advice
Stress Related
Hens can get stressed just as we do
This affects them just as how stress can affects us as well
I mean we don’t lay eggs but a hen can get sick from too much stress
You see, the main cause of stress for chickens is their living conditions
Is your hen being picked on by the flock?
How’s the coop looking like? Is it too hot or cold?
Enough space for all your chickens?
These all play a part in stressing a hen out
Now with stress this can cause a loss of appetite, lower their immune system
It can also lead to other similar problems
Make sure you improve the living conditions for your chickens so they are a happy flock!
Old Hen
As a hen starts to age it can affect their egg laying process
This is natural and part of the ageing process
Reasons For Some Egg Whites That Are Watery
A hen can lay a perfect egg, but the egg white is watery
This is a different problem on it’s own
What causes watery egg whites to become watery?
Watery egg whites is a sign of how fresh the egg is
Or it’s a sign of the quality of the egg
You see, a backyard hen will lay eggs that have a much thicker white than one you would buy from the supermarket
Why?
Because of the standard of living
Your chickens would be living in excellent conditions, they would be fed the highest quality of food and they would have a lot of space to free range
Whereas a egg from the supermarket would have a less thick white
This is because their living conditions is not good as they are producing eggs from a profit
Doesn’t matter what they say, in reality it’s the way it is
These chickens don’t have the life that you would provide for your chickens unfortunately
Another reason for watery egg whites can also be because of illness, age or a sign that there is something wrong with your hen
It would be a good idea to take your hen to the avian vet
One illness is called the Egg drop syndrome
What Is Egg Drop Syndrome?
This was first reported in 1976 which was a term used to when a healthy chicken would lay eggs that has soft shells or no shells at all
This disease was likely originated by ducks which then spread to chickens
Unfortunately chickens are the major species that are affected by the disease
A lot of chicken owners have experienced this syndrome with their flock
Some of the signs include
- Watery egg whites
- Reduction in egg size
- Loss of appetite
- Anemia
- Diarrhea
These are all the signs to look out for
Egg Yolk Peritonitis
Egg yolk peritonitis is another disease that is diagnosed in laying hens when yolk from the developing egg or a incomplete shell is deposited within the body cavity
How would you know if your hen has egg yolk peritonitis?
Your hen would stop laying eggs or lay soft shelled eggs, thin shelled or misshapen eggs
You will notice your hen not being active as much where they would rather sit in the nest box rather than walk around
They would even eat less too
Difficulty breathing is another sign too
You can read more about this by clicking here
If you notice any of these signs or are worried about your hen you should take your hen to the avian vet
Wrapping Up
If your hen is laying liquid eggs it can be a cause of concern
It’s not easy to diagnose what’s wrong without looking at the egg
But you should take your hen to the vets to get them checked out as liquid eggs can carry a high risk of internal infection which can cause health issues
Better to be safe than sorry and get expert advice from the vets