just got two hens that are laying

[badbowtie]

I just picked up two hens saturday and one is a tad bigger than the other but I have gotten three good eggs from the smaller one everyday for the last three days one a day and my bigger one layed her first egg to me yesterday a tad larger egg than the other hen lays. But the shell had a hole in one end like the size of a pencil. then today she layed another one with a hole in it also about the same size. It is only the second two eggs she has layed for me but both have holes in them but like I said my other hens eggs are good. What is causing this?

 

[gritsar]

I imagine it's a defect in her "egg factory". It may always be this way with her, unfortunately.

Are you offering oyster shell?

 

[badbowtie]

According to the guy I got them from I asked him about holes in the shells and he said his are all good. I am only giving them scratch and grain right now that is what he said he always feeds them.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
What exactly do you mean by "grain"? For optimum egg production and for the health of your hens, you want to feed a layer feed. Offering oyster shell on the side is a good idea too, so that the hens don't have to rob their own bodies store of calcium to create eggshells. Scratch is junk food for chickens and should be offered only sparingly.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Are you sure she is not pecking the eggs before you collect them?

 

[badbowtie]

I just called the breeder that they came from and talked to him and he said she never had that problem. But they also free roamed a lot at his house and was able to pick through a lot of gravel so that may of helped. I am going to get some layer feed from the local feed store and see what they have in oyster shells also. I am really wondering if maybe she is stepping on it or pecking it also.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

If you have a rough idea of what time she is laying everyday you can just wait till she goes to the nest box and grab the egg as soon as it is layed... just a thought?

 

[badbowtie]

I went and got them some oyster shells today and some layer feed. I now about what time she is laying and I always grab it within a couple minutes when she comes out of the nest box and already has the hole in it. Unless she is stepping on it when she gets up. When she lays her egg today I will try to take a picture of it and post it to see what you experts are thinking.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Pics would help. I still think it may be a problem in the eggshell factory, not pecking or stepping on them.

 

[badbowtie]

Well I just went out and grabbed her egg as soon as she came out of the nest box and no problems with it today. So I am confused I guess we will see what happens tomorrow.