hen eating egg with thin shell when coop opened this morning

[Kelly Owl]

Good Morning my BYC friends.
Im not sure how to thread this so I will just ask.
This morning I opened the coop for my Australorps at 5:15am as usual. All but 1 hen left the coop and I didnt think anything of it. I started spreading theyre feed for them and went to rake up lastnights scat and noticed the hen that didnt leave was peaking away at an egg under the roosting perches. I shooed her away and proceeded to clean it away. It had a paper thin shell and also had scat dried to it. So 2 questions...will chickens lay while roosting ( there were no eggs when i closed up lastnight at 8:30pm) and why was the shell so thin and flimsy when none of the others Ive collected have been?
Please help.. Thank you

 

[hysop]

Do you offer oyster shells free choice? And sometimes young pullets may lay while roosting but shouldn’t be always.

 

[Kelly Owl]

Do you offer oyster shells free choice? And sometimes young pullets may lay while roosting but shouldn’t be always.

No. Im still using the rest of the food that came with them (there were 2 full bags). Im not exactly sure of the age but my neighbour who gave them to me had them at least 3 years. There have been a few eggs that had been peaked but still whole and all the others that Ive collected for the last month have not been thin at all. They havnt laid yet today so I will keep a close eye and see if I can find out which one it may be

 

[hysop]

What kind of feed are they eating?

Some may require extra calcium maybe you could try to give it to them on a separate dish for them to peck at as they need it.

 

[dawg53]

That sort of thing happens once in a while. I wouldnt worry about it unless it continues.
If it continues, add vitamin D into their diet, it helps with calcium absorption to harden shells.

 

[sealer39]

I’d put some ceramic eggs in their nest boxes. Some say it will help prevent them from eating eggs. If there is a slight chance that is true, then it’s worth it to prevent an egg eater.

 

[Kelly Owl]

What kind of feed are they eating?

Some may require extra calcium maybe you could try to give it to them on a separate dish for them to peck at as they need it.

they came with 2 20lbs bags of..SHARPE 17% N Layer Pellets..the ingredients say 4.0% calcium..directions say..feed as the sole ration to laying hens. Feed with clean fresh water. I do give them treats..tomatoes..strawberries..grapes..lettuce..boiled potatoes..apples..scrambled eggs..green and red peppers..oatmeal..its different everyday..they also free range our 3.5 acres. Im going to the feed store Friday so I will ask about better food with more calcium..cant hurt them to have abit more right?

 

[Kelly Owl]

they came with 2 20lbs bags of..SHARPE 17% N Layer Pellets..the ingredients say 4.0% calcium..directions say..feed as the sole ration to laying hens. Feed with clean fresh water. I do give them treats..tomatoes..strawberries..grapes..lettuce..boiled potatoes..apples..scrambled eggs..green and red peppers..oatmeal..its different everyday..they also free range our 3.5 acres. Im going to the feed store Friday so I will ask about better food with more calcium..cant hurt them to have abit more right?

sorry should say 2 50lbs bags of feed not 20lbs

 

[Kelly Owl]

That sort of thing happens once in a while. I wouldnt worry about it unless it continues.
If it continues, add vitamin D into their diet, it helps with calcium absorption to harden shells.

Thank you. I can get that today from the pharmacy

 

[Kelly Owl]

I’d put some ceramic eggs in their nest boxes. Some say it will help prevent them from eating eggs. If there is a slight chance that is true, then it’s worth it to prevent an egg eater.

Thank you. I had heard i could use golf balls or even small round rocks. Im going to the feed store on Friday so I will check out what they offer for this ☺