HELP !! New chicken owner- need some answers please !!

[renewistrombaker]

Hi
Im in CALIFORNIA
I have 4 RRR hens
They were born 2/2/09
They have a coop with a very cosy hen "cupboard" with straw and nest boxes
They are on a mix of layer crumbles/ hen scratch (50/50)
Free range in backyard all day

I found a shell-less egg on the lawn 2 days ago- so we ran to the coop and found a brown egg- yeah- dropped it, crack- boo!!
Today I found one hen in the cupboard (which is unusual since its hot they are never in it, they roost on top of it ) and she was "nesting"- too cute
I kept looking for an egg but didnt find one
Came home hrs later, checked nest- no egg.
FOund egg on lawn, very thin yellow baggie consistency egg- wierd

WHAT is going on?
Will they lay in the nest or do i have to hunt for eggs? We put a hard boiled egg in the actual nest box because the hen was nesting today on the floor of the cupboard with the fallen straw of the nest boxes (which are up a bit from floor)
I JUST weaned them off chick crumbles (2 weeks ago) onto chick scratch as was told that it was too much protein, now I find an egg and have to switch back again- what a pain.

Tell me what I need to do to make sure they have the best diet!!!
I have given them oyster shell as off 2 days ago.

Thanks for your time.
Rene'

 

[greyhorsewoman]

It is not unusal for the initial eggs to be shell-less or smallish when they start laying. The hens are probably as surprised they have laid an egg as you are, which is why they are in the yard. Personally, I'd up the layer to 75% of your feed since they are laying.

Putting a fake egg or golfball in the nesting area is a good idea, though I wouldn't necessarily use a hardboiled egg, as they can go bad pretty quick.

 

[Judy]

Scratch is a treat, not a complete feed, and they will not do well unless you limit it to a handful as a snack and feed them layer feed.

 

[thechickenchick]

ghw is right. I found shell-less eggs when my girls started laying too. They would also pop one out in their sleep. (I found a couple on the droppings board) They will figure it out and when they do they may be small for a while but they get bigger. It shouldn't take long before you get normal eggs, hang in there!

 

[cybercat]

Are you giving them oyster shell for calcium? This is important to make egg shells. Grit will not do it, you must also give them a calcium sourse like oyster shell.

 

[wohneli]

give them Oyster shells free choice

 

[jacyjones]

This is normal but you need to feed layers pellets and they should always have oyster shell.

 

[renewistrombaker]

Thank you all for taking the time to ease my crazy fears !
I went to the feed store and got some layer crumbles. I already started free feeding the oyster shell 2 days ago.
The lady at the store said the chickens will figure it out.
I will feed them, clean up after them and stop lifting their behinds in some sort of perverted easter egg hunt (poor hens) and just leave them alone to their egg laying business!!

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Yup, just give them a little time. Scratch is really a cold weather treat, not for year round. They need layer feed and oyster shell free choice all the time. Lots of clean water, as well as clean nest boxes.

Try putting some golf balls in the nest boxes so they figure it out.