16 week old laying egg ?

[The Happster]

If the rest of the younglings have about the same amount of comb, I'd be checking up on the older birds.

 

[svh]

If the rest of the younglings have about the same amount of comb, I'd be checking up on the older birds.

OK, thanks. Will do. They have all been on all flock for the last month, with OS on the side, so that might explain the ultra thin shell.

Out of 6 hens, I've only been getting an egg, or 2 a day, and they have all been quality eggs.

 

[West Bend]

I think both of y'alls four week chicks look around the same age at four weeks. I don't think OPs chicks could only be two weeks in their photo.

Maybe I didn't word it correctly. I was meaning the OPs pullets look 2-3weeks older, putting them at maybe 6 or 7 weeks, not at 2weeks old. To me, they looked closer to my 8week old pullets picture.

 

[aart]

They have all been on all flock for the last month, with OS on the side, so that might explain the ultra thin shell.

Weak shelled eggs are not uncommon with new layers.
It's more about the system getting tuned in than lack of calcium.
But good to make sure they are consuming the OS by sprinkling some on the ground with scratch treats, sprinkling a few pieces on top of feed, sprinkling a bit of scratch grains on top of OS feeder....this helps them figure out it's something to eat.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had pullets start to lay at 16 weeks. Not many but a few. That is no surprise.

On more than one occasion I had pullets lay their first egg this time of the year. I was in northwest Arkansas so not that different from you in length of day. Those specific pullets were older than 16 weeks but still they prove that a pullet can start laying this time of the year. I did not extend lights or do anything like that.

Egg laying is pretty complicated. That involves the chicken putting the egg together correctly as well as knowing when and where to lay it. Even an old hand messes this up occasionally but as long as it is rare I think we are all allowed an occasional oops. But your pullet is not an old hand, she is still learning. I'm amazed that so many pullets get it all right straight from the start.

The egg has to go together right. Sometimes there are glitches in that process. That's why it is not that unusual for a pullet starting to lay to have soft-shelled or no shelled eggs, extremely thick shelled eggs, double yolkers, no yolkers, no whites, or all those other types of just plain weird eggs. Sometimes it just takes them a while to get the bugs out of their internal egg making factory. Most do in a few days. If it goes past two weeks you might have an issue. When they are really young they are more prone to start-up issues.

Many pullets know that an egg is coming. Often about a week before that first egg they start looking for a good place to lay. But some seem to miss that. The first eggs may come as a complete surprise. She may drop it wherever she happens to be, on the roost or walking around in the coop or run. Hens can delay laying an egg for a while if they need to. Some pullets don't have that kind of control.

There are certain triggers that tell a hen when to release a yolk to start that journey through her internal egg making factory so it will be ready to lay during daytime. Sometimes those triggers don't work right and the egg is ready at night when they are on the roost.

When I have a problem I try to determine if it is an individual problem or a flock wide issue. I see no reason to potentially mess up the rest of the flock if an individual is the problem. The other eggs you are getting are normal. I do not see this soft-shelled egg as a flock wide problem.

What I think is happening is that you have a pullet just starting to lay. Her system has a glitch, probably something to do with her shell gland not working the way it should, either not producing shell material or laying it on incorrectly. Her instincts may not yet have kicked in to tell her to eat oyster shell for the extra calcium she needs but even then I'd expect the egg to have a thin shell just from the calcium in the All Flock. I think it is the shell gland. And the egg took her by surprise. She wasn't ready for it.

My suggestion is to wait a few days. See what happens. I think the odds are really good that she will work the bugs out of that internal egg making factory. If you feel the urge to force extra calcium down her I would not force extra calcium down the others. Isolate her to feed her. The other eggs show that the other hens don't need it and you have several not laying. Those especially do not need a lot of extra calcium.

Good luck and congratulations on another pullet starting to lay.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Maybe I didn't word it correctly. I was meaning the OPs pullets look 2-3weeks older, putting them at maybe 6 or 7 weeks, not at 2weeks old. To me, they looked closer to my 8week old pullets picture.

Oh! My bad, I can see you what you mean now. Thanks for clarifying, I didn't read you post correctly

 

[Duckee]

Both sex links look like this one, named B2 ..... Come to think of it , they were larger than the rest ..... I did get them at Rural King, so the ages might not have been accurate.

Does this one look of laying age ?

View attachment 2431573

My BSL still had a small comb with lot of black with the red on her comb when she started laying. I yhe she was like 22-25 weeks...cant remem ber now

 

[Duckee]

The pic is from Sept. 1st, 3 months ago ..... The pic is when they were supposedly 4 weeks old.

This is them a week or so ago .....

View attachment 2431300

Some of your girls like older than others. Rural king can have chicks sitting there for weeks. To me it seems they grow slower while at the store too.