Eggs are goofy- sick hen?

[sticksoup]

I have two RIR's that I have previously complained here before were lazy layers. But now I have come to believe that instead of the two birds being lazy layers, I have one bird who does all the laying and one who doesn't. The non-layer- "Peach" is a little strange. She looks healthy but she is noticably thinner than her sister when you pick her up. She LOVES people food- scraps- and comes charging at me with eyes wide as saucers whenever I come outside. But I have no evidence of how much of her feed she personally eats. The other day she finally laid an egg of her own. It was practically white (supposed to be brown) and misshapened with lots of little bumps- not smooth at all. It was like the shell was formed of pieces of sand- and in parts it was wavy and very thin. While I was examining it, Peach leapt up and pecked the egg broken (but she probably thought it was just a treat) otherwise I would have tried to take a picture of it. I think this egg was her first laid in weeks (she is about 9 months old). Any thoughts about what I can do to improve her health? Her sister, with exact same living conditions, is healthy as can be.

 

[cmom]

Here are a couple of good sites that might help.

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/lvstk2/ep127.pdf

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/ourbooks/1/egg-quality-handbook/

 

[patyrdz]

Try oyster shell. Maybe some vitamins in the water too!
Good luck!

 

[sticksoup]

That was VERY helpful. In the guides you linked I found the type of egg she laid and it advised about screwing with the light. Awhile back (probably about the time this started) we got an illuminated bug zapper we keep in the shed. They get constant light! Poor chicken- I've been keeping her up all night. No wonder she's stressed and not laying. Poor Peach... I'll turn it off immediately.