Chicken lays soft shell eggs and they eat it together

[Yevesman]

I have a white leg horn x (barter white) that use to lay good shell eggs. But for the past 9 months or so the norm has become soft shell eggs. Today I saw her purposefully lay the egg white while balancing herself on a rock feature i have in the run, so that the egg would break on lay and she and her mate could eat the ripped open egg. So it’s clearly become a habit.
Yes I have freely available fine grit. I give them calcium and vitamin d supplement all the time. Vinegar in their water. I don’t even know how she does it to lay soft shell eggs anymore. I don’t think it’s a disease, she is fine otherwise.

What to do? I can’t cull just for this.

 

[Borders3]

I'd remove the rock feature for a start and go from there. No doubt there are a lot more on here who would be able to answer better.

 

[Jeri B]

Yes I have freely available fine grit. I give them calcium and vitamin d supplement all the time.

Do you have oyster shell and or crushed egg shells available free choice? Are the other chickens laying hard shell eggs?

 

[Yevesman]

I have fine grit freely available. The other chicken does fine.

 

[Borders3]

I have fine grit freely available. The other chicken does fine.

Fine grit is not the same as Oyster shell, grit is for grinding down the food in the crop whilst oyster shell or baked crushed egg shell gives them the calcium for making egg shells.

 

[Yevesman]

Fine grit is not the same as Oyster shell, grit is for grinding down the food in the crop whilst oyster shell or baked crushed egg shell gives them the calcium for making egg shells.

Thank you I will investigate

 

[neo71665]

Stop giving them vinegar. It dilutes calcium. Fowl do not need vinegar for any reason.

 

[Mrs. K]

And I would cull her if this does not improve. If they have learned to break them, on those rocks, they would be moved... but I think that I would not want this in my flock.

A lot depends on how much vinegar in the water - but I would just use fresh clean water, and some oyster shell to try first. And if that does not work, I would cull both of them.

Mrs K

 

[MadamContrary]

Stop adding vinegar, it messes with calcium uptake. Raw apple cider vinegar can be offered as a probiotic occasionally in a separate waterer, but should never be added continuously to the only available water source.

 

[aart]

Yes I have freely available fine grit. I give them calcium and vitamin d supplement all the time.

What exactly are these and how do you give them?
What is their regular feed, brand/model/protein and calcium percentages?

Vinegar in their water.

X3....Stop the vinegar.