Chicken laying shell less/ thin shelled eggs in the middle of the night on roosts

[applethechicken]

since my first post, (4/1 soft egg), in April she has laid one soft egg on the roosts on 4/18 and one on 4/25. the eggs laid during the rest of April were very normal eggs. However, starting from 5/1, she has even laying thin shelled to shell less eggs since (5/1, 5/2, 5/3, 5/4). They have been gradually getting softer, and the one today didn't even have a shell membrane. She also went into the nesting boxes to lay (very early morning still dark outside) for yesterday and today. It seems like she can't hold in her egg??

I gave her half a calcium citrate pill yesterday afternoon, and I will give her a full pill today, and for the next few days as well.

It has been unusually dry and windy these past few days, and also mornings have been on the colder side. She's pretty sensitive to heat, but I'm not sure if this could be related. Her coop is protected and draft free though.

She looks healthy, is eating well and playing.

Is there anything else I can do to help her?

 

[rosemarythyme]

So between April 1st and now, have you been keeping up with calcium supplements? Or did you stop at some point.

 

[applethechicken]

So between April 1st and now, have you been keeping up with calcium supplements? Or did you stop at some point.

I stopped when she started laying her normal shelled eggs

 

[rosemarythyme]

I stopped when she started laying her normal shelled eggs

Completely? Or did you ease off? See my original post:

She may still need more calcium than she's taking in. I would schedule regular doses of the calcium tablets for 2-3 weeks (either once a day or once every other day) and see if that resolves the issue - if her eggs are all normally shelled during that time, ease back on the frequency of calcium for 2-3 more weeks, and as long as the eggs are still normal you can try easing back further, etc.

 

[applethechicken]

Completely? Or did you ease off? See my original post:

completely, since I see her eating oyster shells frequently.

but I will ease her off this time. So when her eggs are back to normally shelled, how often should I give the calcium supplement?

 

[rosemarythyme]

completely, since I see her eating oyster shells frequently.

but I will ease her off this time. So when her eggs are back to normally shelled, how often should I give the calcium supplement?

I'd reduce frequency over time, if for example you start off with every other day, then once her eggs are normal, try once every 3 days. If that stays consistent for around 2 weeks, then try once every 4 days. There's not a set number because each individual bird needs differing amounts of calcium.

Quite possibly you will end up supplementing her in some fashion throughout the laying season - I have a couple of older hens that end up needing extra calcium 2-3x a week, but they don't lay for very long each year, so I discontinue supplementing when they stop laying in the summer.

 

[Mercyr79]

Ok, that's good.

Hi. I’m curious on why you need more than one feeding station for 4 chickens. Thank you

 

[ChicFil- A]

This is a perfectly normal state of affairs. It happens. It will take about 3-6 weeks to straighten out if you do nothing, or if you do something. A lot of people will get on here and recommend oyster shell, or feed or pills - but truly it will just solve itself.

I am rather horrified that you have a time that your chicken is suppose to lay, planned out. They are not machines, and a lot of things can influence when they lay, and still be considered perfectly normal.

If you have a younger bird, they have sufficient calcium to produce regular shelled eggs without additives. It won't hurt to have some calcium on the side, or use layers feed, but it is not necessary for younger birds. If your whole flock is producing soft-shelled eggs, and lethargic, and not active - then you have a diet problem, or a worm problem, or some kind of problem.

The only thing that you should do that might have an effect - is not to hatch this birds eggs. The tendency, when birds start laying or start up laying, and get these glitches could be genetic. But mostly I think you are worrying over a natural state of affairs. This will just go away.

Mrs K

it’s like the hormones have to work together there are several thing happening it’s a process. it’s amazing to say the least. The magic of a hen laying an egg!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hi. I’m curious on why you need more than one feeding station for 4 chickens. Thank you

If there's pecking order issues, bullying, etc. it helps immensely to have more than one feeder to prevent resource guarding.

 

[applethechicken]

I'd reduce frequency over time, if for example you start off with every other day, then once her eggs are normal, try once every 3 days. If that stays consistent for around 2 weeks, then try once every 4 days. There's not a set number because each individual bird needs differing amounts of calcium.

Quite possibly you will end up supplementing her in some fashion throughout the laying season - I have a couple of older hens that end up needing extra calcium 2-3x a week, but they don't lay for very long each year, so I discontinue supplementing when they stop laying in the summer.

so I gave her half a pill on 5/3, and a full pill on 5/4, and she finally laid a shelled egg at her normal time on 5/5, but the shell was still on the thinner side. I gave her half a pill on 5/5 (good egg day), 5/6 (her rest day), and 5/7, which she laid laid under the roosts. The egg didn't break but the shell was still very thin. yesterday, 5/8, she laid it in the run early morning, and someone ate the yolk of it, and I have her a full pill in the afternoon. And today, she laid it near the coop door, and someone ate everything except half a shell membrane.

She just keeps dropping her eggs around sunrise, like its hard for her to hold them in, so they're harder on the first day she lays, since its pretty much the correct time, but get worse and worse as the days go on, until around day 5, which is usually how many eggs she lays in a row. Other than this, she seems healthy and normal.

Does it matter what time I give her the pills, since the only time it "worked" the next day was when I gave it to her around 12pm, instead of 3 pm. but she's been getting pills for over a week now, and I thought she would be accumulating the calcium. Also, does it help if she eats food after she takes the pill, since I've heard some people say that? She always goes for a drink after the pill.