Cracked Egg On Poop Board

[meowteri2]

I have two ISA browns and one barred rock in a coop with one nest box. They will be two years old in march. I am finding a cracked egg for the last three weeks on the poop board under the roost. It is a little on the soft shell side. They all eat layena and I sprinkle a little calcium on there treat of cooked oatmeal. Anyone know why this is happening? It is one of the ISA browns doing this. It looks like she is droping her egg when she is on the roost. I don' mind losing the egg, just don't like the mess it makes.

 

[Fred's Hens]

At two years of age, sometimes the high laying hens begins to tire. There is very little you can do. This isn't a matter of just having a stronger shell, as she is laying them at night while she sleeps. You could try offering Oyster shells on the side, but I doubt it'll do anything more than strengthen the shells, if they eat it regularly.

 

[clucksbc]

I had a comparable experience...
first day I had a squishy egg...
I had been giving the oyster shells once a week...
starteded every day...the next one was a cracked on the poopy perch board
the next layed one was fine...

I would recomend uping the calcium dose...the shells should be strong enough not too crack...

now I give the oyster shell, 2 or 3 times a week...but I grind up there shells and sprinkle over the meals...

 

[Tracydr]

One of my bantam's first eggs was laid in her wading pool. I have no idea what she was thinking. Maybe the new age birthing in water experience?

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
Why not give it free choice? It's always been my understanding that hens self-regulate oyster shell pretty well. For twenty years, I've given oyster shells and egg shells free choice. I've never seen a soft egg shell in all that time.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

I had the same issue and posted this question here on BYC and was advised to have a light on a timer for the morning. The hen just couldn't see well enough in the early morning hours to get down from the roost to go lay her egg in the nest box. It worked and no more egg on the poop board. I would also give free choice calcium for the soft shell issue.