How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[jlwquilter]

I appreciate your suggestion! I’m keeping the in mind if what I’m trying doesn’t work.

I feed back their shells. Free choice. The thin shelled eggs belong to 3 of my 4 leghorns. I narrowed down who the almost always broken/deflated balloon shell belonged to 4 days ago. Gave her scrambled egg with some powdered tums. Then 3 days ago I broke 2 other leghorn eggs in my hand when I fumbled them and lightly clutched them. I penned the 3 leghorns (Cruella’s eggs have always been fine) to feed them
Scrambled eggs and powdered egg shell but they were so freaked out being penned they wouldn’t eat. Then 2 days ago not only was there the now expected
Deflated leghorn egg but a brown one too. I suspect the brown egg is from a brand new layer and the egg broke when it fell after she laid it on the roost board. But to be sure it wasn’t also a calcium issue I went with powdered eggshell mixed into the fermented feed for all. A little extra for everybody for a few days is ok. Today all eggs had good shells.

I see all the hens except the leghorns hit the egg shell dispenser. I read that they - like other high producers do better on layer feed. I feed flock raiser. So the past 2 days I’ve also mixed in some layer feed into the fermented feed. And set up a separate feed tube with layer feed in it so the hens can chose which feed they want.

I’m eager to see how the eggs look tomorrow!

 

[karenerwin]

Only 12 eggs again today (July 4th)

 

[pennyJo1960]

I would buy a 50 lb bad of crushed oyster go through that but have it out free choice please

 

[jlwquilter]

I would buy a 50 lb bad of crushed oyster go through that but have it out free choice please

Why would you choose oyster shells over egg shells?

 

[jlwquilter]

Shoot. Another broken egg. I have sand floors so it gets covered taking it out. The sandy ‘tail’ is some of the inside leaked out. Good news are they aren’t eating it - or is that bad news as they should be jumping right on it? I’m thinking - hoping!- good news as they are all fed (free access all the time and flock raiser has the higher protein) well and may not be jonesing for egg.

 

[jlwquilter]

I should mention that my sandy coop floor is covered is naturally occurring oyster shells. It seem silly to buy what I already have but if what I’m trying doesn’t work after several day then I’ll certainly try purchased oyster shell.

Maybe any deficiency hasn’t had time to resolve. It’s only been 2 days.

 

[bruceha2000]

How old are the thin shell layers? Could be they have just "aged out" on proper shell production. I've got a Black Australorp that is 4 years old that has been laying thin shell eggs this year and a 7 year old Ancona that was doing the same last year, she's not laying this year. There is always oyster shell available and I feed layer so it isn't necessarily the food or availability of extra calcium causing thin shells. The BA has always added extra calcium to the exterior of her shells in the form of tiny balls of calcium so I'm guessing her "factory" has not been operating properly her entire laying life.

 

[jlwquilter]

The leghorns are 16 months old - I was told by the guy I bough them from that his buddy hatched them March 1. Good guess though!

All the non-leghorns plus the one leghorn have no shell issues at all. I though I’d narrowed it down to Isis or Angel as the broken shell girl bit they both laid today - I watched and took their eggs. Cruella has always been fine so that leaves Bo Peep who I know laid a thin shell the other day and a good egg the day before that. So they are mixing it up on me!

The leghorns did come from a distressed situation and had molt issues that I know strongly suspect were other issues too or instead. They are looking so much better but still have bald spots. They were laying for me for more than a Month and have started laying consistently the last week -although one egg is almost always broken under the poop boards.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Why would you choose oyster shells over egg shells?

Maybe attach some photos of the coop floor mine is earth also but not sand here lot's further north So do you cover your floor with oyster?

 

[jlwquilter]

I get my sand from my road. I live rural and on a private road. The sand is filed with oyster shells of all sizes. I’m going out in a few and I’ll take a pic of it.