Hard shell to soft shell for newby?

[ilovemybabies2]

Okay, several questions:

1.) my black sex link laid her first soft shelled egg a week ago, ever since then she has laid a hard shelled egg every day (except yesterday). Why did she lay a soft shelled egg today? very confused.

2.) She laid her soft shelled egg in the grass, in the open. The last 6 eggs she laid in her nesting box, why would she lay it out in the open like that?

3.) Does me putting an extra golf ball (she had one when she was laying) distract her? I moved another nesting box next to that one she was laying in, would that deter her from laying in her nesting box? My son watched her lay an egg, did that have anything to do with her not laying in the box? Point is- do chickens get easily distracted to not lay in their box?

4.) How do I get them to lay in their box?

I really hope you can help. I know y'all have a lot of info and advice on here! Thank you in advance!

 

[FlarryEyedGrey]

My Gold Wyandotte has been laying for 2 weeks and all of a sudden she laid a soft shell egg yesterday... same thing, not in the box but in a really weird spot... my laundry room!!! I left the back door open for the dogs. I have no idea why but I wish someone with some real knowledge would let us know I want to know too!! Hope we find out soon. I put oyster shell out today for them and got scratch with grit hoping that might help.

 

[krista74]

When pullets first start laying it takes a while for the 'egg factory' to get everything right.

As a consequence, it is quite common for young birds to lay soft shelled eggs. They can also lay eggs with papery shells, eggs with no yolk at all, tiny eggs, and even eggs with no shell what-so-ever - just a thin membrane that holds the egg together. This is all quite normal for a pullet when she is learning the ropes.

These eggs are often laid in strange places. Mine lays her soft shelled eggs under the roost! My theory on this is that because the eggs are not properly formed, they just 'slip out' of the bird. If you ever watch a chicken lay a proper egg, she will push and strain whilst doing it. Not a lot, but they don't just slide out. Eggs with no shell, or soft shell eggs, I think they just slide out unexpectedly, wherever the chicken happens to be.

Chickens are pretty smart. A few plastic eggs or golf balls in the nest will show them the proper place to lay, and they will tend to all want to go to the same nest when they see eggs already in there. Bear in mind your girls are just learning though, and accidents will happen! It's a bit like toilet training a toddler! Some people say putting golf balls in the nest also prevents egg-pecking and egg-eating. The birds have a peck at the golf ball, realise that no, it's not tasty and soft, then don't bother trying it again.

Hope this helps! Krista

 

[ilovemybabies2]

I did some research and figured 2 things.... maybe. a.) it's super hot out here. Around 100 degrees. I assume that doesn't help with egg quality or productivity. b.) I feed them a lot of treats. I have over spoiled them I think. I gave them two sets of pasta yesterday. I feel despicable! That night I got a shell less egg. This morning two more shell less eggs on the floor of the coop.

I read that when it gets hot they tend to not eat their feed, so here I am feeding them a bunch of sodium. <HeadToWall>. I am guessing that is causing the shell less eggs. So today, as difficult as it was, I have only fed them a little corn with oats with mealworms. Other than that, sorry chicky's, gonna have to just eat your feed with oyster shells and drink ice water.

The shell less eggs, maybe they think it's poop. It was just odd that my layer girl did that. Don't you know that's an egg coming out, not poop?!