CONTINUOUS Shell-less egg from my new layer?

[All4Eggz]

One of the newer groups this year was an olive egger (hen), buff orpington (hen), and golden laced wyandotte (roo). I have lost track of how old they all are, but I was guessing they are just about ready to start laying. I checked the (Pubic, I think ) bones of my buff orp and she was more than two fingers wide, signifying she is in fact laying.

But the mystery is: Every day for about 2 weeks, we've been getting a shell-less egg in the SAME spot (not in the nest box, but on a board that we made so it's easier for the chickens to get up to roost) , and we've never seen the buff orp (or the olive egger) in the nest boxes, so that made us think ONE of them is laying that egg.

I don't get it- We supply them with available calcium 24/7 (crushed oyster shell) and feed layer pellets and some snacks. What could be the issue?

Thanks in advance for responding

 

[rosemarythyme]

If this continues, at what point will there be a problem? Should I feed her extra mealworms- which have calcium?

I'd cut back on the snacks, and if you're sure it's the BO that's the issue, try giving her a private breakfast with extra calcium to ensure she's ingesting it:

Isolate her for a private breakfast. 2-3x a week serve a small bowl (like 1 Tbsp is fine) of wet or fermented feed with oyster shell mixed in. If she does not like chunks of oyster shell, crush it up or use the powdery remnants from bottom of the bag. Should only take her minutes to eat and after that she's free to go.

Assuming her issue is simply insufficient calcium intake, you should see results in a week or two, and you can try reducing it to 1-2x a week and should hopefully continue getting good results. If you still have the same issue, then you might need to try pills of calcium citrate instead for a faster, bigger calcium boost.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

It sounds like your husbandry is correct, I'm not sure why she's laying eggs like that. Have they always been this way? I had a hen like that in the past who lived four years and consistently layer soft shelled or shells that were extremely thin despite feeding many different brands and having oyster shell as well. Perhaps it could be genetic?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The calcium might not be enough, I have a hen like that. Could also just be working out glitches

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Oyster shell

 

[sqatkins]

One of the newer groups this year was an olive egger (hen), buff orpington (hen), and golden laced wyandotte (roo). I have lost track of how old they all are, but I was guessing they are just about ready to start laying. I checked the (Pubic, I think ) bones of my buff orp and she was more than two fingers wide, signifying she is in fact laying.

But the mystery is: Every day for about 2 weeks, we've been getting a shell-less egg in the SAME spot (not in the nest box, but on a board that we made so it's easier for the chickens to get up to roost) , and we've never seen the buff orp (or the olive egger) in the nest boxes, so that made us think ONE of them is laying that egg.

I don't get it- We supply them with available calcium 24/7 (crushed oyster shell) and feed layer pellets and some snacks. What could be the issue?

Thanks in advance for responding

Try cutting back on the "snacks." She may be filling up on carbs rather than on the balanced pellets and oyster shell she needs. I will be interested to hear how the private breakfast banquet did for you and if you are getting more normally shelled eggs. I have one Wyandotte who is fully mature but still has a glitchy egg-shell factory. Every couple of weeks I get an extremely thin shelled egg, or a shell less egg. It is irritating, isn't it? I think that some hens just have a malfunctioning system. Seems such a waste, but at least she does give me 7 or so good eggs for every poorly shelled one. I have 4 new pullets (30 weeks) who are still not laying, mostly, I think, because our day length in Montana is already less than 12 hours a day. Hopefully by the time these gals are ready to start laying (maybe not until next spring) they will be fully mature and ready to earn their keep. Good luck.

 

[All4Eggz]

@Eggcessive
@JacinLarkwell
@Rhodebar Lover

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thank you.

If this continues, at what point will there be a problem? Should I feed her extra mealworms- which have calcium?

I just settled for knowing hers would never be good for anything. I've tried to hatch dozens with no success, so I know it's just not meant to be.

Keep the OS out and that should at least help

 

[All4Eggz]

Thank you so much everyone
I will give her a private breakfast with extra cacium every few days.

And @JacinLarkwell, sorry if I misread/misunderstood, but what is "OS"?

 

[All4Eggz]

Oyster shell

Haha thanks, I should've known