1 Year Old Hen Laying Shelless Eggs On The Roost

[Shadow Source]

Hello,

I have a special little chicken that wee name Peep, because she was born last Easter, and was hatched from a broody hen. She lays nice big white eggs, and loves attention. I have been noticing that she quit laying eggs, and I kept on finding large what sticky spots in the coop. Then last night when I was shutting them up, she screamed, and laid a shell-less egg on the roost witch fell on the ground and exploded. What could be causing this? All my other hens lay thick shelled eggs.

Anything Helps!

Thanks

 

[BuffOrps32]

Hello,

I have a special little chicken that wee name Peep, because she was born last Easter, and was hatched from a broody hen. She lays nice big white eggs, and loves attention. I have been noticing that she quit laying eggs, and I kept on finding large what sticky spots in the coop. Then last night when I was shutting them up, she screamed, and laid a shell-less egg on the roost witch fell on the ground and exploded. What could be causing this? All my other hens lay thick shelled eggs.

Anything Helps!

Thanks

She may need more protein, or calcium? I forget which, sorry.

 

[Ms Clucky]

She might not be getting enough oyster shell.

 

[Ms Clucky]

She might not be getting enough oyster shell.

or have you noticed her getting covered? My hen did that until she went back into the chicken house with the roosters.

 

[staceyj]

She’s not getting enough calcium. Give her something besides oyster shell. Some hens for whatever reason won’t eat it and the added calcium in layer feed is only a minimum requirement.

1/2 of a caltrate tablet with D3 daily for a week might help. Or A tums if you don’t have that.
And if she’s been doing this ongoing for some time you’ll have to search for a deeper cause since she may have a reproductive problem such as a defective shell gland if she’s not making shells at all.

 

[staceyj]

Here’s some interesting reading about eggshells!

https://the-chicken-chick.com/for-strong-eggshells-size-matters/

 

[staceyj]

And here’s some great info from the BYC LEARNING CENTER!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

Section 10 lists possible causes and corrections of shell less eggs.