First egg....shell was soft. what's wrong?

[bethann]

I just walked outside for a minute and there was my he standing in the driveway with an egg under her. When I went to pick it up, the shell was soft. Is that normal at first?

I put the egg and her in the nesting box...hopefully she will get a clue.

Thanks

 

[Schultz]

Our new layers laid a few softies at first, it's common and should straighten itself out/ Make sure they have free choice oyster shell or fortified feed if it persists later on.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Same thing happened to our neighbors. An old timer told them it was fairly common when hens started laying.

 

[Kezzie]

Quote:
That's very normal at first. Make sure she's getting enough calcium and the shells will harden up. I wouldn't leave a soft egg in the nest box as it is easy to break and the hen may get a taste for eggs- a hard habit to break. Just put a golf ball or two in the nest box.

 

[felidaet]

My white Leghorn had very soft shells on her first two eggs. Since then every shell has been normal. She has been laying for about 2 - 3 weeks and has laid an egg every day. One day was a huge egg that had a double yoke. Poor chicken... It had to hurt. She is the smallest bird in our flock. She is about 20 weeks old.

One of our Welsummers started laying a few days ago. The first 3 eggs were a little soft but each one was a little harder. Today she finally gave us one with a good hard shell.

I am feeding Purina Layena feed and have oyster shell available for them.

 

[journey11]

Very normal, as they get their plumbing all worked out.

I go out several times a day when my pullets begin to lay, to make sure they haven't left an egg in someplace it shouldn't be. If eggs are laying around in run or whatever, they are more likely to break them or peck them and get hooked on egg eating.

To help her figure out to lay in the nestbox, you ought to get a dummy egg to put in there (I use light or pastel colored plastic easter eggs and fill them with sand, although you can buy wooden or ceramic ones that are very realistic). I also don't let my pullets out to range until I'm sure that they've figured out to lay in the nest. That way they aren't hiding eggs from me, and when they are in a good pattern and I can let them out, they prefer to come back to the seclusion of the nestbox and do business there.

Don't worry, you may get another jelly egg or two, but she will soon outgrow it. Make sure you give her free-choice oyster shell for extra calcium. Good luck!