Egg issues/Calcium issues??

[Runt of the Flock]

For a while, my birds wouldn't lay but they've kicked up again. Yesterday, i pulled a soft, jello-y/paper-y shelled egg out of the nest box. I assume lack of calcium or new layer. But we also have one bird who seemed VERY interested with the eggs as i collected them. She was the one who started the egg eating last spring. We have oyster shell available and we give them ground egg shell but I think they still have a calcium deficiency. Help!

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Hmm strange I gave mine their own egg shells and that helps build up the calcium do they have access to green grass and natural sun light? Other than that I don't know what to say

 

[AlleysChicks]

Vitamin D helps with calcium, so if you could get some chicken vitamins to add to water it may help. Also my girls sometimes don’t bother with the white oyster shell so I add blue or green food coloring and mix. They go right after it!

 

[JaeG]

The odd shell-less egg is just a normal occurrence so I wouldn't worry too much. I had a girl who laid quite a few as a new layer but she quickly got her system in order and she's fine now.

 

[Folly's place]

Make sure that the mill date on each bag of feed is within four weeks or so, and that you use it within a couple more weeks. Older feed is loosing vitamins, not helpful.
Oyster shell on the side is needed, and some egg shells are okay too. If you are adding lots of extras to their diet, it may be unbalanced and that will cause issues.
Some birds learn to break and eat eggs, and sometimes continue to do this regardless of your efforts to stop their vice. These birds need a trip elsewhere, maybe to the crockpot.
Shell-less eggs happen sometimes. Don't worry about it unless it becomes a continuous issue.
Mary

 

[aart]

We have oyster shell available and we give them ground egg shell but I think they still have a calcium deficiency.

How do you give this "ground egg shell"?
What does the rest of their diet consist of?
Good shelling is about more than just calcium.
Funky eggs in older birds just starting to lay again and new layers is not unusual.

 

[Runt of the Flock]

the ground egg shell is in a container sometimes with the grit, sometimes mixed with their feed. we generally feed the layer pellet or crumble

 

[Runt of the Flock]

Hmm strange I gave mine their own egg shells and that helps build up the calcium do they have access to green grass and natural sun light? Other than that I don't know what to say

Well currently its too cold outside for them to free range and the coop windows are cover to prevent it from being cold enough to freeze the water. (Yet sometimes it still does.) But we have artificial light on for them.

 

[lazy gardener]

the ground egg shell is in a container sometimes with the grit, sometimes mixed with their feed. we generally feed the layer pellet or crumble

When you offer OS or ES supplements, it's a good idea NOT to put it in their feed. It should be offered free choice, so the birds that need it can have it, while you are not forcing it on the ones that don't need it. Try giving the birds extra multi vitamins. Vit D3 is oil soluble, so would be one of the first vitamins to break down in older feed (I'm guessing!)

 

[lazy gardener]

I hope you have plenty of ventilation for them. Even here in sub zero temps, it's necessary for good ventilation to prevent high moisture in the coop which causes frost bite, and all sorts of respiratory issues.