Laying Broken/Soft Shelled Eggs

[AlyssaB87]

One of our hens - a Black Copper Maran - has been a very inconsistent layer since we got her. We bought her as a full grown hen and were told she lays a few eggs a week. The first egg she laid was broken and had a soft shell. We had already added oyster shells to their diet and even switched back to the food their previous owner was feeding.

She often goes to the nesting box and is there for an hour or more and when she comes down there’s nothing in the box. She has laid 1-2 eggs that are in great condition.

Yesterday, she was in the box for quite awhile and came down. I went to check and saw the egg was broken. I went to get supplies to clean it up and when I came back, she was back on the egg. I left her be for awhile and when she finally left the nest it was the same broken egg.

Anything we are missing here? Anything we should do differently?? She seems to want to lay but is having issues.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How old is she? In general marans aren't high production birds. I have hens that will go in the boxes than never lay. It doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong.

Eggs without shells are generally from stress or are seen more when hens are starting up or shutting down for the season. Where are you located? Here in the northern hemisphere birds are starting to slow and stop as the fall molt is beginning for many birds or about to begin.

 

[AlyssaB87]

How old is she? In general marans aren't high production birds. I have hens that will go in the boxes than never lay. It doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong.

Eggs without shells are generally from stress or are seen more when hens are starting up or shutting down for the season. Where are you located? Here in the northern hemisphere birds are starting to slow and stop as the fall molt is beginning for many birds or about to begin.

She’s under 2 years but I don’t know exactly. We have another Maran who lays every other day or so without issue. I know they aren’t high production birds but assumed she’d lay at least 1 egg a week but that isn’t the case. ‍ I am in Tennessee and I’ve been told the fall molt is near.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have one marans that lays fairly regularly. One I had before was hit and miss. I generally don't worry unless they are acting unwell. Many times when a bird is bred for egg color the production suffers.

 

[aart]

I am in Tennessee and I’ve been told the fall molt is near.

Yeppers, it could be she's ramping down production prior to the molt,
you can get funky eggs before and after the molt.

We bought her as a full grown hen and were told she lays a few eggs a week. The first egg she laid was broken and had a soft shell.

On the other hand, she may be a 'lemon'. How long have you had her?

 

[AlyssaB87]

Will we know for sure when our birds are molting? Feathers everywhere? I was told here and another post that the fall molt was near but doesn’t seem like we’ve had a total feather loss here yet... the hens are still laying and actually more often than ever...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Will we know for sure when our birds are molting? Feathers everywhere? I was told here and another post that the fall molt was near but doesn’t seem like we’ve had a total feather loss here yet... the hens are still laying and actually more often than ever...

Some you can't see that they are molting because it's very slow. Some are quite shocking how they drop most of their feathers overnight. Better layers often molt hard and late. Poor layers and roosters molt earlier. Some years I'm waiting on my last few hens to molt in December. They all are different.

 

[Sudini]

One of our hens - a Black Copper Maran - has been a very inconsistent layer since we got her. We bought her as a full grown hen and were told she lays a few eggs a week. The first egg she laid was broken and had a soft shell. We had already added oyster shells to their diet and even switched back to the food their previous owner was feeding.

She often goes to the nesting box and is there for an hour or more and when she comes down there’s nothing in the box. She has laid 1-2 eggs that are in great condition.

Yesterday, she was in the box for quite awhile and came down. I went to check and saw the egg was broken. I went to get supplies to clean it up and when I came back, she was back on the egg. I left her be for awhile and when she finally left the nest it was the same broken egg.

Anything we are missing here? Anything we should do differently?? She seems to want to lay but is having issues.