vmmartin -- believe it, it is indeed true.
AllenF, that is absolutely and 100% a normal thing that does happen in the chicken yard. When the ovum leaves the ovary of the chicken this little ovum goes through many stages of development before it reaches the end of the chicken's butt and comes out as an egg. Sometimes, as the last part of development is the encompassing of the soft egg with calcium shell, this process is not performed. Hence, the egg that is soft and wobbly and feels most horrible to touch. I would imagine that the egg is still OK to eat, but personally, I believe that the shell protects the insides of the eggs for a good reason, from awful things, like bacteria. I would not eat an egg that did not have the shell. There are strange things done with the types of eggs that are laid with chickens and I have seen some of the weirdest shaped eggs you would ever believe, it is enough that it would make your head swim, smiling.
I am going to put a picture on here of an egg within an egg, now if this doesn't rock your socks, I don't know what will. I have saved this egg within an egg and it is in my fridge. I think it is worthy of some kind of thing, just not sure what kind of thing. And it is the oddest thing I have ever encountered in my dealings with birds in the chicken yard, look closely at this picture, something to behold. This egg was laid by one of my light Brahmas, while I was away for a couple of days. My Daughter was looking after my chickenyard, and when she told me of this egg, I couldn't even in my wildest dreams imagine what she was talking about, until I actually laid eyes on this monstrosity of Mother Nature herself. The outside shell was very thin, and my Daughter said when she picked it up, it was very soft and part of it opened up, strange things done in that midnight sun......
About freezing eggs. In climates where the winter is colder and the day light shortens many people's chickens reduce the amount of laying eggs. This is because the pituatary glands of the chicken are in the eyes, this causes a reduction in laying. Many people, along with myself, provide additional lighting to extend the light that enters the chickens' eyes to 15 hours. This causes an artificial increase in day length and works to provide eggs all year around, instead of just great numbers during the long daylight hour months. It absolutely works. Chickens perform a yearly task of moulting. This is usually done in the fall, and takes approximately one month's time. During that time, when their little bodies are working so hard to produce new feathers, they don't have the guts nor gumption to lay eggs, so egg laying does truly decrease somewhat when the birds are under this kind of stress. Any kind of stressor will cause a chicken to stop laying, something even so tiny as, well, can't think of an example, but they are stressy creatures, and don't like change. Right, rats, ramblin', I was going to talk about freezing eggs. When the eggs are bountiful in the warm, long daylight length times, many people freeze their eggs, in anticipation of the time during the fall and/or winter when egg production reduces. I have not personally done this, as with the extended artificial lights and raising old fashioned heritage birds (which some are known for not caring too much about doing that "stop laying thing" in the winter), I never have a lack of eggs. But, I have heard that people freeze eggs in containers, of course, without the shell, and use them in this way. I know it would work. If one is a baker, it would be most wonderful to already have cracked eggs, ready for the baking use, or frozen in two egg packages for that nice two egg breakfast. Just some thoughts here.
I have heard about people wondering if providing artificial light may stress the chicken out and make them run out of eggs within to provide eggs for the without. Nope, not likely. Chickens are egg laying machines and are born with thousands upon thousands of little ovas, just awaiting to be released from the ovary of the bird, so not likely that they will run out. This is not gospel, but from my studies, this is the way it goes. Now, the hybrid, egg laying machines that pump out huge eggs for a fairly short time of their lifetime, I cannot say. I am speaking of the heritage, old fashioned birds that I have studied about, like Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks (of which there are several), Rhode Island reds, Brahmas, and that heritage list goes on and on an on. These are all proven, standby, heritage birds that have been around a long time, and are good and wonderful birds. The new hybrids that are bred for egg production mostly are still most wonderful and beautiful in their own light, but usually production in these breeds is only good for a couple of years, maximum -- the heritage breeds can live on and on and on, for many years, and still be in decent production as those years pass on. Ramblin', that is something I do, and I hope that I may have passed on some useful information for any ear that is willing to listen :roll: :lol: :lol: 8-) have that most beautiful and wonderful day, to have love and be loved, with great health. Cindi
The most wonderful and beautiful thing of Mother Nature herself, that egg within an egg
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