Has anyone been able to fix thin shell problems?

[catballou]

Vitamin D enables chickens to absorb calcium from their food so that they can make hard-shelled eggs. Without adequate UV light exposure, chickens often lay soft or shell-less eggs or have eggs get stuck inside of them when they try to lay—a life-threatening condition called egg-binding. This happens because their uterine muscles run out of the calcium needed to push the eggs out. Consequently, chickens living indoors in cold climates must have UV light bulbs built into their coops so that they don’t lay abnormal eggs or become egg-bound.https://www.petmd.com/bird/care/what-you-should-know-getting-backyard-chickens

I didn't know that. My pen is shaded but the get out of it around 3-4 pm .
Maybe I'll start letting them out earlier!

 

[Mrs. K]

I only use the shells I cook & bake with (no boiled egg shells) After I've dried them I crush them with my hands & bake them in the oven in a shallow pan at low heat.

Why do you bake them? I just throw my shells in my scraps bucket, and feed the chickens that.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Vitamin D enables chickens to absorb calcium from their food so that they can make hard-shelled eggs. Without adequate UV light exposure, chickens often lay soft or shell-less eggs or have eggs get stuck inside of them when they try to lay—a life-threatening condition called egg-binding. This happens because their uterine muscles run out of the calcium needed to push the eggs out. Consequently, chickens living indoors in cold climates must have UV light bulbs built into their coops so that they don’t lay abnormal eggs or become egg-bound.https://www.petmd.com/bird/care/what-you-should-know-getting-backyard-chickens

Mine go outside most of the day, their house has windows and the 'secure run' when. I am out of arm's reach is a greenhouse so they have no lack of sunlight. They have oyster shells and egg shells and layer feed. They have not molted, no infestations, and they have had soft shells (the Longhorns only) since they arrived.


The only thing that ever helped was adding calcium citrate to the morning meal, but I read that is too hard on them for everyday use.

The only thing I can see is that when the Longhorns have access to higher protein food they make bigger eggs, and those eggs are thinner shelled. The brown hens have only a small increase in their egg size and the shell stays constant.

I suspect the hens are bred for highest-egg-size-to-feed ratios and that means a hen that will not keep enough to make her body healthy but push everything into her eggs. Remember that egg producers still sell eggs with thin shells, they go to food manufacturers.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Since nothing so far is an actual fix, I am hoping it fixes itself. I actually wish they would molt and stop laying. Maybe all would be good when they start laying again.

I keep telling them to stop laying when they molt, or to at least take one day a week off production. I even offered them to have a 4 day work week, but they just insist that they work hard while they can and then when the time comes they will take an early retirement. I tried...

 

[McChooky]

I didn't know that. My pen is shaded but the get out of it around 3-4 pm .
Maybe I'll start letting them out earlier!

You can add a full spectrum light for vitamin D. They will lay better with more access to uv light!

 

[McChooky]

Mine go outside most of the day, their house has windows and the 'secure run' when. I am out of arm's reach is a greenhouse so they have no lack of sunlight. They have oyster shells and egg shells and layer feed. They have not molted, no infestations, and they have had soft shells (the Longhorns only) since they arrived.


The only thing that ever helped was adding calcium citrate to the morning meal, but I read that is too hard on them for everyday use.

The only thing I can see is that when the Longhorns have access to higher protein food they make bigger eggs, and those eggs are thinner shelled. The brown hens have only a small increase in their egg size and the shell stays constant.

I suspect the hens are bred for highest-egg-size-to-feed ratios and that means a hen that will not keep enough to make her body healthy but push everything into her eggs. Remember that egg producers still sell eggs with thin shells, they go to food manufacturers.

Not getting enough sunlight is the most common problem with caged birds.

edit: A well nourished hen lays more eggs.The older they get the larger the eggs.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Not getting enough sunlight is the most common problem with caged birds.

edit: A well nourished hen lays more eggs.The older they get the larger the eggs.

On the day after they get a higher protein meal the eggs are bigger, (they get the leftovers from the ducks & Turkey sometimes there is more sometimes less) when there is less of the that and they have only layer feed, eggs are smaller

I agree for MANY reasons they need sunlight (also fun and play) to be healthy, but I have thin shells even though they have lots of sunlight and lots of calcium options, so I can't blame the sun.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

edit: A well nourished hen lays more eggs

Yup!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I feed my flock the All Flock, since I have Roosters, too. I do have calcium grit in a small feeder but also offer some kale & collard greens to peck at. I see a soft shell or no shell egg once a year, not even sure who lays them. My hens are various ages & types, up to 7 yrs old, RIR, Wyandotte, EE, Comet, Buff Orpington, Maran & Australorp. Every day I rotate veggies, melons, berries, squash, greens, and they have plenty of sunshine. I think sunshine & the veggies help. If they ignore the veggies at 1st, you can elevate them in a lettuce or corn cob holder or chop them up and offer on an old cookie sheet on a cinderblock (that height). It may help, good luck.