July 13, 2010

Rubber Eggs

In the last four days, the girls have given us seven eggs.  Five of them just perfect...


But, two of them were a little odd.

They had no shells and they were squishy.  Neal called them little water balloons.

After a bit of research, I found out they are quite common and called practice eggs, membranous eggs or rubber eggs.  Apparently nothing to cause alarm.  When I cut one open with a knife, it had a beautiful yolk and looked just like the inside of an egg should.  Does anyone know if it's OK to eat these rubber eggs?


Our wish of witnessing one of the girls laying was granted last night.  One minute Cayenne was doing this...


then the next minute she was doing this...


She put out one of those rubber eggs right in the middle of the yard while we watched. Poor girl was so exhausted afterward that she just stood in a trance-like state for a few minutes, then she went up to the coop and got on her roost  for the night. Being a hen is hard work!

8 comments:

AJ-OAKS said...

Oooh, oooh a rubber egg. Awhile ago I took a video of one that when I dropped it, the thing bounced! I got such a kick out it.
I agree, being a hen is hard work!

Lilla said...

AJ-OAKS....I remember that video! Your laughing was so contagious! So, do you know if it's OK to eat a rubber egg?

AJ-OAKS said...

Well, I really don't know if they are ok to eat or not. Didn't eat the rubber egg. I gave it to the cats.
Hmmmm, maybe ask Danni over at Critter Farm.

basicliving@backtobasicliving.com said...

Yes - they are fine to eat. Be sure to leave a little oyster shell available to your girls 24 X 7. They'll eat it as needed and the extra calcium will help firm those shells up. It's not unusual for new layers to lay soft shells. I also give back all the egg shells from the eggs we eat. Just crunch them up and they will love them.

basicliving@backtobasicliving.com said...

Just a little PS - if you eat the soft shelled eggs, eat them right away. The shell helps protect the egg from bacteria, so you either need to eat it rather quickly, or feed it to your pups/kitties/or even back to your chickens.

Lilla said...

Penny, thanks for the advice about the rubber eggs. It's good to know they can be eaten. The girls do have a bowl of oyster shell available 24/7, and I've been washing and drying the shells to crush up, either for them or for the garden.

Anonymous said...

I have to ask... has Cayenne done that with other people or only with Neal? Your girls have really taken to you all... they hardly seem like chickens at all. :)

Lilla said...

Justina...we haven't had too many people over since we got the girls. I'm pretty sure Cayenne would do that with me (it's a matter of picking her up and placing her on the shoulder), but she might be leary of strangers. The first time our neighbor came over to open the coop when we were gone, they didn't come barreling down the stairs like they do for us. I really do think they know our voices.

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