Egg shells

[manxie lad]

Hi there ,

new to keeping chickens really, just got 12 of a local chicken keeping pal:

. Every day has been fine nice solid egg shells but only one of them is that soft you cant even pick them up!

I feed them there old egg shells and loads of grit but i still dont know what the problem is... can any one help?

 

[SoJoChickens]

Are you feeding them laying rations or some other feed? Feed is the biggest factor in egg quality (IMHO).

If only one hen is having issues, there might be another issue. Check for respiratory or other ailments to make sure they are all healthy.

 

[la dee da]

Are you giving them oyster shells (the kind made for them to eat)? Feeding a chicken back her own egg shell will not provide enough calcium. Grit has no nutritional value (athough still needed), it just helps them to digest their food by pre-grinding it.

 

[la dee da]

Oh yeah, and

the most awesome chicken forum there is!

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
I'd be looking into diet, maybe she is being shoved away from the feeder. And layers need layer feed, as well as oyster shell for calcium.

And congrats on the first post-

from South Carolina!