Help -I keep getting a soft-shelled egg- broken in the nest!

[chick4chix]

It's from one of the two remaining EE's (age 28 wks) who have just begun to lay and I have not identified their egg. Three weeks ago, I found the first one- all smashed into the hay next to a good egg (it had a pinkish/peach flakey shell) . Then a whole week went by and I found another one but this time it was under the roost- not the nest ,and it was pretty dried out so I figured it could have been the first one (before the nest one). Then another week and we got an almost intact pink/peach egg but it had a peck mark/crack but was otherwise whole but the shell was not strong still semi- soft and flakey- you could crush it easily. So I fed oyster shell to everyone and now this morning (a whole week later) I had another totally smashed pink/peach egg on top of the nest and the nest eggs. All the other layers have nice strong shells. What can I do to help her out and why is she going 7-8 days between laying these soft eggs? thanks in advance

 

[Imp]

If she just started laying, it might take a while for her to get everything right. Sometimes new layers are not so perfect.

Imp

 

[chick4chix]

Quote:
Thanks- but this is the third week and she is going between 7-9 days between them- is this normal? Shouldn't she be straightened out by now? There were only two left that had not begun laying and the other one laid today so I know who is doing it now. She is the bottom of the pecking order- would that make a difference? For the most part I have a very peaceful flock- they occassionally posture at each other then go about their business-no big fights.

 

[Imp]

Yeah, I don't think that's normal

Could they be hiding them? or a predator eating them?

It could be the time of the year. It's getting darker or molting.

My only other thought is that my EE has always been a very erratic layer. Sometimes no eggs for weeks. Hopefully yours aren't like that.

Gosh, Got me

Imp