 Shell thickness is the last measurement in the 4-H golden egg contest. Egg shell thickness can be influenced by a hen's age, how long she has been laying eggs, and her diet. Egg shells from the broken out eggs are carefully washed out so no egg material remains. The washed eggshells are dried overnight. When clean and dry, the shells are measured at a randomly selected location along the middle or equator of the egg. A pocket micrometer is used to measure the shell thickness. All three eggs will be measured. The number is written on the score sheet and the average of the three measurements is calculated. If the average is over 0.35mm, 20 points are awarded. Those are strong eggshells, sure to get your product to market. Egg shell thickness between 0.34 and 0.31mm receive 10 points while shells less than 0.30mm receive 5 points. Lower shell thicknesses likely indicate that it is time for the flock to molt in order to have stronger eggshells in their next laying cycle.