Help please - Soft Shelled Eggs everyday and not sure what to do

[EttaMama]

I have 4 hens that are all 5 months old. 3 are currently laying and have been for about 4-5 weeks. Each one seems to lay an egg every day to every other day but one of them is consistently laying soft shelled or shell-less eggs as well. On average about 2 a day. I don't think it's the non-layer (she's an Americana and I've heard they take a while to start laying plus her eggs should be blue and these soft shells seem to be brown). We feed them Scratch and Peck Layer feed, they have access and do eat some oyster shell. Everyone seems healthy. Any ideas on why we're getting so many softshelled/no shell eggs? Could it be the nesting box (we have an Omlet Eglu Cube) is too busy/small for them? Should I add another nesting box or two to their covered run? Could it be their feed? Any ideas would be much appreciated! Just worried for whichever chicken this is happening to.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

(she's an Americana and I've heard they take a while to start laying plus her eggs should be blue and these soft shells seem to be brown).

AmerIcana.. with an I does not guarantee blue eggs.. they are Easter Eggers and sometimes lay brown or cream colored eggs. In my experience they are not particularly late layers.. some laying as early as 16 weeks.

Any ideas on why we're getting so many softshelled/no shell eggs?

Two possibilities.. new layer hiccups (the reproductive system is complex and may take some time to work out its kinks) or shell gland irregularity/deffect.

Could it be the nesting box (we have an Omlet Eglu Cube) is too busy/small for them?

This has nothing to do with it. If a pullet/hen finds the lay box too busy, they usually wait their turn and will still lay a hard shelled egg.. possibly in another location or hidden.

Should I add another nesting box or two to their covered run?

Answered in the previous statement with regards to the soft shells. However if your flock dynamics could benefit from another box or that's what you prefer to do then go ahead.

Could it be their feed?

Anything is possible. It sounds like they should be getting enough calcium, according to your description. Most layer feed is around 16% protein.. and protein does affect egg shell thickness/hardness.. so it's possible they (or an individual hen) may benefit from a higher protein feed. Many on this forum, myself included, prefer and use 20% protein (starter or flock raiser) with oyster shell free choice on the side.

Just worried for whichever chicken this is happening to.

It's not ideal and could ultimately cause some issues. How long has it been going on? Where are you finding the soft shelled or shelless eggs (under the roost, in the yard/run, in the box)?

The following link is very informative. Shelless eggs are seen in #10. If you have a chance watch the video, it's very cool...

Article 'Common egg quality problems'

Approximately 2% of all chicken eggs have some defect, ranging from minor, barely noticeable faults to downright alarming deformities. So the chances are pretty good that most, if not all flock owners will at some stage find an irregular egg. This article is about the most common egg...

• sumi
• Aug 27, 2013
• Updated May 3, 2016
• 11 min read
• 4.94 star(s) 283 ratings
• Reaction score: 387
• Comments: 237
• Reviews: 189
• Category: Maintaining A Healthy Flock

ETA: while disease is a possibility in most things, I try to look at all the contributing factors and definitely don't jump to that conclusion.

 

[EttaMama]

AmerIcana.. with an I does not guarantee blue eggs.. they are Easter Eggers and sometimes lay brown or cream colored eggs. In my experience they are not particularly late layers.. some laying as early as 16 weeks.


Two possibilities.. new layer hiccups (the reproductive system is complex and may take some time to work out its kinks) or shell gland irregularity/deffect.


This has nothing to do with it. If a pullet/hen finds the lay box too busy, they usually wait their turn and will still lay a hard shelled egg.. possibly in another location or hidden.


Answered in the previous statement with regards to the soft shells. However if your flock dynamics could benefit from another box or that's what you prefer to do then go ahead.


Anything is possible. It sounds like they should be getting enough calcium, according to your description. Most layer feed is around 16% protein.. and protein does affect egg shell thickness/hardness.. so it's possible they (or an individual hen) may benefit from a higher protein feed. Many on this forum, myself included, prefer and use 20% protein (starter or flock raiser) with oyster shell free choice on the side.


It's not ideal and could ultimately cause some issues. How long has it been going on? Where are you finding the soft shelled or shelless eggs (under the roost, in the yard/run, in the box)?

The following link is very informative. Shelless eggs are seen in #10. If you have a chance watch the video, it's very cool...

Article 'Common egg quality problems'

Approximately 2% of all chicken eggs have some defect, ranging from minor, barely noticeable faults to downright alarming deformities. So the chances are pretty good that most, if not all flock owners will at some stage find an irregular egg. This article is about the most common egg...

• sumi
• Aug 27, 2013
• Updated May 3, 2016
• 11 min read
• 4.94 star(s) 283 ratings
• Reaction score: 387
• Comments: 237
• Reviews: 189
• Category: Maintaining A Healthy Flock

ETA: while disease is a possibility in most things, I try to look at all the contributing factors and definitely don't jump to that conclusion.

@EggSighted4Life - Thank you! This is all great information to have. I'll look into switching their food to a higher protein feed.

We mostly find them under the roosting bars but just this week have found a couple in the nesting box.

I was assuming new layer hiccups it just seemed like it's been happening for a while now and I was starting to worry. Two (plymouth rock and black sex link) started laying about 5 weeks ago, my cream legbar about 4 weeks ago, and the Americana's comb is just now very red, and yesterday she spent a lot of time in the nesting box but she never did lay an egg. She must be very close

 

[Hen-Ry]

I’m having egg shell problems as well almost the whole summer laying season.
I have identified one hen who lays shell-less eggs.. a membrane only.. sometimes still intact. Another “unidentified hen” lays a thin shell egg that is usually cratered at the pointed end.
Almost always in the nest box, though I did see the one hen dropping a membrane egg while foraging. She and two other hens pounced on it and ate the yolky skin in short order.
That’s when I marked her with paint on the back of her head.
My ten hens are about 30 months old. They were all excellent layers the first year and now I only get only 3-4 eggs on a good day. Most days only two plus the cracked shell. There is a cracked thin shell egg 2 of 3 days. Makes a mess in the box. Have to dump and clean one pan almost every day.
They are all Barred Plymouth Rocks so it’s very hard to tell them apart.
I’m thinking I will isolate the one bird, then spend a couple days watching the nest boxes and find the other culprit.
I’ve tried all of the feed fixes. Calcium in the feeder, vitamins, wormer, high protein feed as a treat on the ground (30% protein cat food), Purina Dumore layer feed 16% in two locations,(inside and under the coop) I have exhaust fans to dispel the summer heat and circulate air.
I’ve had layers for 8 years now and this is a first for me. I’ve only had an occasional shell-less egg on the ground from pullets just beginning to lay.
My plan is to isolate these two hens and try heavy doses of calcium. If they don’t respond I will sadly have to put them down.
Any ideas I haven’t thought of?