Egg layer on roost

[maryellen21]

One of my RSL just layed an egg while on the roost. It fell about 5 feet and didnt break. I have also founds few soft rubbery eggs here too under the roost . Is it normal for hens to lay an egg while on a roost as opposed to the nesting box? Or did a critter try to carry the egg out of the nesting box and i scared it going out to the coop to open their pen door?its still dark out here i northern nj i found it at 6am

 

[aart]

New layers often don't quite have control of the egg passing, especially if it's a softshell.

 

[maryellen21]

Ah ok. Its the fourth one i have found under the roost first hard shell , last three were soft like a turtle egg all leathery. Normally i find the soft one when a hen starts to lay for the first time. The solid regular egg surprised me cause the hens have been good laying in the nesting boxes

 

[maryellen21]

Found another soft shell last night under the roost and one in the coop. This morning i go out and find another soft shell under the roost. The soft ones are broken open. The hard one i found was intact the other morning. I thought all 6 hens were laying good now this. Is this many soft shells a concern? I have a separate feeder with oyster shells in it for them to pick on

 

[theoldchick]

If these are pullets who are just starting to lay, you'll find soft shells for about a month or so. Make sure you are feeding a good quality layer feed supplemented with other various foods sources. Offering oysters shells is the right thing to do.

Once these girls get their rhythm you'll have lots of normal eggs to share.

 

[zarafa121]

I'm glad this came up, especially the recent posts. My four RSLs have been laying consistently hardshell eggs in the nest for the past month. I've not had a soft shell until this morning, finding two under the roost. I've done nothing different in feeding or habits. I let them out most evenings for an hour or so, and the last two nights they've been catching and eating large grasshoppers by the dozens. One of them has been giving me double yolkers every three days or so for the past ten days. I am puzzled.

 

[maryellen21]

Yes they are all pullets, three red sex links and 3 tetras. They laid perfect eggs up until a few weeks ago when the first soft egg was found. They get purina layer feed , oyster shells in the separate feeder, veggies, fruit, grass, bugs, dirt etc as they free feed from 6am till they put themselves to bed at. 7pm. They have 24 hour access to food and three water containers ..
They are maybe 6 months old now. They do lay regular good eggs every day i normally get 6 eggs a day all were perfect until the soft ones showed up . Now I've been collecting 5 good eggs and one soft broken one occasionally.(the soft one)

 

[theoldchick]

Any drastic weather? I've noticed my girls who are considered 'mature' at 3 years old laid a few soft shells when we had unusually cool days (for summer) only to have 100 degree heat 3 days later.

Might also consider deworming them.

Soft shells can also be an indication of something is amiss in the 'egg factory', and a hen who lays chronic soft shells may eventually succumb to reproductive problems such as internal laying which usually develops into peritonitis.

Just a few thoughts that popped into my head.

Hope this helps.

 

[zarafa121]

Any drastic weather? I've noticed my girls who are considered 'mature' at 3 years old laid a few soft shells when we had unusually cool days (for summer) only to have 100 degree heat 3 days later.

Might also consider deworming them.

Soft shells can also be an indication of something is amiss in the 'egg factory', and a hen who lays chronic soft shells may eventually succumb to reproductive problems such as internal laying which usually develops into peritonitis.

Just a few thoughts that popped into my head.

Hope this helps.

No drastic weather here; haven't thought of deworming. The chicken who "lost" the soft shell egg on the roost is the same chicken laying double yolks every few days. This soft one also was a double yolk (originally thought it was two eggs by two chickens, but I had three good eggs in the nest today). Tell me more about deworming please and how do I know they need it?

 

[maryellen21]

We have had 53 degree nights and 80 degree days. I will deworm them again just to be sure. Otherwise no real changes.