Shell less eggs

[Isaac 0]

Once my chickens start squatting i give them oyster shells.So when they lay there first egg its hard.

 

[nenapen]

Anyone know if she is ready to lay??

 

[Isaac 0]

Looks like it.Is she squatting?. Moist vent?.Are her pubic bones two fingers wide?

 

[junebuggena]

Once my chickens start squatting i give them oyster shells.So when they lay there first egg its hard.

With new layers, it has nothing to do with how much calcium they eat. They utilize calcium from their bones to produce the shell. New layers have an ample supply of calcium stored in their bones, prior to laying. It is because not all of the parts of the egg production system are working together. All that is needed is a bit of patiences and time. It can take several weeks for a new layer to lay consistently.

 

[Isaac 0]

Worked with mine.Granted they weren't hard as a rock but they were still hard.

 

[junebuggena]

Worked with mine.Granted they weren't hard as a rock but they were still hard.

But it wasn't because of the oyster shell. It was because when they started laying, everything was working together properly. That's not always the case. The oyster shell helps them replenish their calcium stores within the bones, so that they can keep laying strong shells.

 

[Isaac 0]

Just seems most chickens first egg is soft.With all of the chickens i have it seems bound to happen.All my chickens have now laid and there has been not been one soft egg.

 

[junebuggena]

It happens about 50% of the time with my first time layers. And some lay the occasional shell-less egg weeks after they start.

 

[Isaac 0]

I know a chicken keeper of 100 chickens that does the same method worked with him too no problem.

 

[junebuggena]

Point is, shell less eggs are a very normal thing for new layers, even when they have plenty of calcium available. They don't need the calcium until after they have been laying. Some pullets lay eggs with good shells from the start. Some don't. It's all normal.