Deficiency or normal bantam egg?

[Snozzle]

I finally got to eat my first egg from my chickens today. It came from my little young bantam hen instead of my adult laying hen who I expected to lay first. When I cracked the egg the shell was thinner then I expected, it was thinner then the eggs I am buying from the store which are full size vegetarian fed free range eggs.
I have been feeding my chickens laying pellets, grit and misc greens, plus whatever bugs they catch outside. So is she missing something in her diet, is it because she is young(that was her 3rd egg) or is that normal in bantams?
I just want to be sure they get all of the nutrition they need.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Bantam eggshells should be as thick as the large fowl ones. You could put some oyster shell out for them- that should help. (From the feed store, in bags, crushed.)

 

[Snozzle]

Well I do feed grit that has that in it.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Oh our grit here at the feed stores is just sharp gravel. We have to buy the oyster shell separately.

 

[Snozzle]

I actually bought the grit from the petshop, I haven't seen any grit at the farm store that's closest to me.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I do not add calcium to their everyday feed nor do I supply oyster shell. I do feed them the egg shells from eggs that I use to cook with. They go crazy for those things.

 

[psycoforsilkies]

her egg shells should be just as thick as other eggs, she may need more calcium, i offer my banty's oyster shell on the side they eat what they need, are you feeding a good quality feed. they need good nutrition just like us to. but i would offer oyster shell. i have heard other giving yogurt to to boost calcium

 

[Snozzle]

They should get enough calcium from the oyster shell grit I feed. I don't really eat enough eggs to give them shells from, this is only the 3rd egg I have gotten from my chickens. I will try the yogurt though. Thanks!

 

[upcdayz]

It could be that your pullet's egg making mechanisms aren't quite up to speed yet. With young laying birds, it sometimes takes a little while for their eggs to be normal. Sometimes they may lay eggs that have no shell or what is called a soft shell. If your birds are getting all the calcium they need, just be patient and wait to see how her other eggs come out. Chances are that her eggs will have harder shells the more mature she becomes.

 

[Snozzle]

Well actually, she has been laying an egg every day and the last one seemed a lot thicker shelled, though I didn't crack it, I gave it to a friend. It also had a different shape to it, rounder and not as elongated as the others. The first few also don't seem to be fertile even though her and the little roo have been busy. I found them a bit late and it had been warm here, so I wasn't sure if they were still good to eat and I had just started a batch of hatching eggs in the incubator, so I stuck these 2 in there with them, but after about 4 days and nothing developing, I am pretty sure no one is home in there. I will give it another try after those eggs hatch out, these minis are so sweet and cute, I want some babies from them for sure.