Eggs with very thin shells

[Agathe]

My hens have just started laying and I have some weird eggs coming, very small eggs and one egg without any shell at all, and I assume it is common for it to be like this in the very beginning. However, I've twice gotten eggs with very thin eggshells. I assume this might be common too in the start up phase, but the reason it worries me is that they break. So far I've found the two before they've been eaten, but I don't want them to start eating the eggs. Therefore I ask just in case. To be clear they get both layer feed (though I only just started them on it when they started laying), and they get extra calcium (shells) that they've had access to for a while already with their grit. The eggs look like if they have two yolks and as if there is a small egg inside a bigger egg, is that possible? At least there are two yolks, but it's hard to tell what's what since it's broken. Is it just the hens body getting used to laying or should I do something? I've got plenty of eggs with good healthy shells too.

 

[Perris]

it's all normal variation when their systems start up. You are doing the right thing; it could go on for a month if you're really unlucky, but it normally settles down sooner than that. Continued vigilance to find and remove any shell-less or soft shelled eggs to prevent someone developing an egg-eating habit will pay dividends henceforth.

 

[Agathe]

it's all normal variation when their systems start up. You are doing the right thing; it could go on for a month if you're really unlucky, but it normally settles down sooner than that. Continued vigilance to find and remove any shell-less or soft shelled eggs to prevent someone developing an egg-eating habit will pay dividends henceforth.

Thanks so much, it's good to have that confirmed. I just have to keep running out to the coop often until it stabilises.

 

[Perris]

yep!