Extremely hard shells on my eggs, what causes it?

[cupman]

My girls began laying recently and their egg shells are rock hard. Like, I've read of people have the opposite problem, and I guess it really isn't a big problem I would just like to know what would be causing it? I have started giving them layer feed, but even before then the eggs were ultra strong. It seems to be most all of my eggs, not just from one specific breed. I have a very mixed flock. Well it's not a real emergency or anything I was just wondering what you guys think. Thanks.

 

[top of the hill]

funny you wrote this, one of my girls started laying a few days ago and I was surprised at how hard her shells were... I was almost expecting something thin. Curious to see if there is a reason for this, extra calcium in treats we give?

 

[Phenomenon]

Nothing to worry about there guys! When pullets first lay they can lay double yokers, thin shelled eggs, the hard ones are a good sign of plentiful calcium and a healthy diet. Also bare in mind the smaller pullet eggs have less shell to disperse the calcium, as the eggs become larger the shells will thin slightly.

 

[teach1rusl]

Yeah, the shells tend to thin out a bit (although not as thin as chain store egg shells) as the hens age. I'd forgotten how hard some egg shells could be until my bantam girls began laying a month or so ago.