Shell-less or Soft-shelled ALL THE TIME!!!

[Fierlin1182]

Egg songs are pretty much always loud. We've got sex links, and they don't make much of a fuss. Great layers too. Sorry you had to get rid of your Sussex. As for the soft shells, sometimes the chicken can just be "dodgy". One of ours won't stop laying them either, we feed everything under the sun recommended for soft shells, and eventually the feed store owner pretty much told us it was the chicken's problem. Sometimes that happens.

 

[Tikkijane]

I hate to tell you this, but it all depends on the individual bird...and you won't know how loud/long their egg song is going to be until they begin laying. That being said, my easter eggers have been pretty quiet when it comes to the egg song...except for one...she sang it loud and proud for seven full minutes every time she laid an egg. I have also heard that barred rocks tend to be chatty and very vocal about egg laying.

X2. I've really got only one BR that makes a lot of noise, and that's not consistent. Sometimes, she's at it for a while; other times we're getting eggs and everyone is quiet. My BRs, though, are more bossy and pushy overall. They play well with each other, but are really pushy to the non-BRs (except the flock mistress) when food is involved.

And, fwiw, I don't have a single one that sings *after* they lay. At this point, they are all singing before, if they do at all. Some days it's really noisy out there; other days not so much.

 

[AuburnChickenNewbies]

I'm no expert by any means, but maybe you can try giving them some yogurt? Ours love it. I pick up a duo-pack from Costco of their plain Greek yogurt once a month or so and the birds always end up with one of the containers as I rarely manage to eat it all before the pull date. I also periodically mix the yogurt with whatever else it is I have from the kitchen scraps -- leftover oatmeal, breads, veggies, salad stuffs, etc. They absolutely love it. Maybe that'll add a bit more calcium to their diet without having to go through the crushing of the oyster shell and vitamin thing?

 

[ChicKat]

I have good news and bad news from today. The good news is I got 2 pretty, intact eggs today! One from my EE and one from my Speckled Sussex. The bad news is my Speckled Sussex has got to go. Her egg song is so loud! I'm not even supposed to have chickens in my neighborhood and there is no way I can have a loud one. What breeds are the quietest? My EE and Polish mutt don't make a sound when they lay.

great that the shells are better....what do you think made the difference? Also sorry about the loud SS and that you need to rehome/remove her.

 

[PoultryQueen29]

I'm not sure what did it! I didn't really do anything different.

 

[ChicKat]

hmmm an interesting thing. Wonder if longer sunlight hours had anything to do with it?

 

[nancysmith2]

I have found that if I make them some oatmeal and while it is hot I put a 500 mg calcium tablet in and let it melt. Stir in and let cool. I do this about 1x week along with oyster shell and have had 0 problems since.

 

[ChicKat]

I have found that if I make them some oatmeal and while it is hot I put a 500 mg calcium tablet in and let it melt. Stir in and let cool. I do this about 1x week along with oyster shell and have had 0 problems since.

Interesting. How many chickens feed from the 500mg, and is that to about 1Cup of cooked oatmeal or so? I had one that was laying a soft shell, and I added D3 to feed mixed with water and other kitchen left overs, but I never knew if the one that most needed the boost was getting it....since they all shared. Thanks for info.

 

[nancysmith2]

Sorry, I am planning a wedding which is next month in my backyard! I use about 2c of oatmeal cooked to 1 500 mg calcium tablet for 12 birds

 

[mamabigbird]

I had One of my 3 EE pullets laying a soft egg every day, which would break and muck up the other eggs and bedding in the nest boxes.
Tried ACV, oyster shells, and ground eggshells and then tried giving her a calcium supplement orally every morning.
Nothing worked. She was 9 months old, a real black beauty, but sadly we had to put her down because she simply was genetically wrong.
It was a hard decision but there is nothing to be gained by possibly passing those bad genetics along. R.I.P. Spooky.
I hope the O.P. has better luck than I did.