Egg eatting thin shelled eggs

[McReynolds]

I posted earlier in year about 4 hens only laying 2 eggs I wormed hens about a month our so ago these day I get one got hard shelled egg and two eggs hens have eaten, the 2 eggs that are eaten the shells are brown in colour just feel a bit more brittle . I feed hens layer feed and provide oyster shell and crush egg shell in to feed aswell , was given hens they were not aware of age they think there 1-2yrs old but I think they are a little older , live in ireland so not a warm climate for them. They are hybrid hens. Is there any think they would be lacking in ? What do I do this issue only started thus year and I haven't changed there feed

 

[azygous]

Oyster shell and the calcium that is added to layer feed is calcium carbonate. This form of calcium is cheap and plentiful and works great for organisms that are functioning optimally. But for an aging organism and in some younger ones for unknown reasons, it can become hard to digest. So a calcium deficiency can develop. Calcium is important for bones, but also for organ functions like keeping a heart beating.

A calcium deficiency in layers becomes evident when the egg shells are thin or even absent. Then you know you have a deficiency you need to treat. So you find a form of calcium that is easy to digest and absorb. That would be calcium citrate with vitamin D3.

Get some citrate tablets and give one tablet per day to those hens laying poor shells. If you do not know who is laying the thin shell eggs, give all the hens the citrate until you see sturdy egg shells.

I wouldn't worry about egg eaters. Thin shell eggs are super easy to break if the hen steps on them after they're laid. They break easily and no hen worth her lofty credentials will ignore an opportunity to eat a fresh egg. Once the shells are normal, egg breakage will stop, and so will the egg eating.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

no hen worth her lofty credentials will ignore an opportunity to eat a fresh egg.

I think of them as "quality control" hens some of them check for thin shells

 

[Mistress-with-birbs]

Oyster shell and the calcium that is added to layer feed is calcium carbonate. This form of calcium is cheap and plentiful and works great for organisms that are functioning optimally. But for an aging organism and in some younger ones for unknown reasons, it can become hard to digest. So a calcium deficiency can develop. Calcium is important for bones, but also for organ functions like keeping a heart beating.

A calcium deficiency in layers becomes evident when the egg shells are thin or even absent. Then you know you have a deficiency you need to treat. So you find a form of calcium that is easy to digest and absorb. That would be calcium citrate with vitamin D3.

Get some citrate tablets and give one tablet per day to those hens laying poor shells. If you do not know who is laying the thin shell eggs, give all the hens the citrate until you see sturdy egg shells.

I wouldn't worry about egg eaters. Thin shell eggs are super easy to break if the hen steps on them after they're laid. They break easily and no hen worth her lofty credentials will ignore an opportunity to eat a fresh egg. Once the shells are normal, egg breakage will stop, and so will the egg eating.

Thanks for this, I was just looking on here for something to do to help my one hen who keeps laying soft shelled eggs. I will definitely try this because otherwise she is in great health and is a round fat birb

 

[Kiki]

Thanks for this, I was just looking on here for something to do to help my one hen who keeps laying soft shelled eggs. I will definitely try this because otherwise she is in great health and is a round fat birb

Round fat could be part of the problem. When birds have too much fat in their belly infection can set in and cause serious issues.

 

[Mistress-with-birbs]

Round fat could be part of the problem. When birds have too much fat in their belly infection can set in and cause serious issues.

Infection? : O but she's not ill

 

[Kiki]

Infection? : O but she's not ill

I'm not saying your bird is ill or has an infection yet.
I'm saying that if your bird is overweight and laying thin shelled eggs it is very likely that you are now seeing the first signs of illness.

 

[Mistress-with-birbs]

I'm not saying your bird is ill or has an infection yet.
I'm saying that if your bird is overweight and laying thin shelled eggs it is very likely that you are now seeing the first signs of illness.

Hmm ok she's been like this for a month and I wouldn't really say she's fat, just healthy, but I'll keep an eye on her! Thanks for the heads up

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Hmm ok she's been like this for a month and I wouldn't really say she's fat, just healthy, but I'll keep an eye on her! Thanks for the heads up

Maybe give her a little extra calcium. Some eggshell snacks or some store bought calcium. It helped one of mine that did that for a while. Of course she ended up no longer laying younger than the others, but she is fine in her retirement.