Hello all! I have three Jersey Giants who are still young but should start laying very soon. I have had them for about two months. Two weeks ago I purchased three laying hens; one Orphington and two Americauna's, all between 1 and 1 1/2 years old. The little americana's never missed a beat and have been giving me an egg every other day since I got them. Yesterday I found a half formed, soft shelled brown egg in the nest. Who could this be from? I am wondering if this new brown eggs is from the old Orphington or one of the new Giant's. I understand that when relocating laying hens they may stop laying....I guess my question is; when they start laying again are their eggs normal, fully formed eggs OR do they go throught the "new egg" stage again with soft weirdo eggs? Thanks!
The soft shelled egg may have come from one of your Jersey Giants, as soft shell eggs and other oddities are often seen with new layers. It may also be from the Orpington. It's hard to say. These are the causes for soft shelled eggs: - Immature shell gland (new layers); - Nutritional deficiencies, usually lack of calcium, vitamins E, B12 and D as well as phosphorous and selenium; - Disease such as infectious bronchitis, avian influenza, egg drop syndrome; an internal or external parasite infestation; - Exposure to very high temperatures and/or very high or low humidity levels; - Egg laid prematurely due to stress or a disturbance during the calcification process; - Egg laying while molting.
