I have 6 hens, 4 BRs and 2 EEs. About 6 weeks ago I got my first thin/broken shelled egg from one of my EE. Over the next 2 weeks She laid maybe another 3 times, all with thin shells. Since then she has laid maybe once a week with either a membrane only shell or no membrane at all. I know the standard answer to this is give her more clacium, but she has free access to all the oyster shells, food and water that she could consume. I also know that this issue is limited to this one EE since my other 5 hens are still averaging 4 eggs a day. I also know they the birds are not eating her eggs as I have inspected it immediately after she laid it only to find a mess in the egg box. Any ideas? Thanks
I would offer that: Age. As chickens get older, their internal egg producing organs may become less effective. I have two 3 YO. Both were great producers and are still healthy. One of them has been laying sporadic soft-shells for about 2 months. I also found they prefer crushed egg shells over oyster shells. Maybe that would help.
I have an EE pullet doing this, too, and this was after most of her eggs had pimples- although, she still has those on the outside of the egg, but we rarely get an un-broken egg from her anymore because they shells usually crush from being so thin. No one else is affected this way; still hoping it resolves..... (and she, too, has access to all the calcium she wants and I mix it in, too.)
