Why are my Eggs Cracking More

Have you ever cracked an egg and found a bunch of shells floating at the top. And you think maybe I’ve made a mistake but you do it again next time, you find the same, if not more bits and pieces of shells in your bowl.

But why is this happening?

Sometimes tiny things like eggshells in a bowl can ruin your day, but trying to know the reason could certainly grant some relief.

This is caused by the same avian flu which brought us the exorbitant egg price hikes of 2023. In order to get to the root of the problem first we should look at the egg laying cycle of hens. A hen lays eggs from the age of 6 months to 2 years after which it retires, of which I shall spare you the details. Most egg farmers have a supply of hens ready to take the place of the hens which have “retired”.

But when a viral disease like the bird flu or any avian virus hits the farm, many young hens that were supposed to replace the older hens die leaving a shortage of egg-laying hens. Farmers try to keep up the supply via older hens till they are 3 years of age. Which results in hens becoming weak and having low supply of calcium.

Farmers employ many methods including increasing the calcium intake of hens but as the aging progresses the eggshell quality becomes lower and lower.

These eggs do not pose any health risks. They are still equally beneficial but certain precautions have to be taken. During research, I found that cracking them against a flat surface will decrease the chipping off. If you are boiling eggs you can add vinegar in the eggs for easier peeling.

The good news is that the mystery is solved, egg prices are getting back to normal and soon the eggshells will become the same as before.