Laying in odd places

[HappilyHartley]

Hi, my girls just started laying 8 days ago. Hens are 18 weeks on Tuesday the 13th. I don't know which of my 5 are laying. One uses the nesting box and lays beautiful brown eggs. The shell is nice, smooth and hard and yokes are beautiful. I think it is one of my Rhode Island Reds. Then I have the other layer/layers? I have been finding eggs, 2 at a time, one on top of the other and they are usually broken. They were happening below the perch so I put lots of bedding down so they would have a soft landing. Since then they now lay them what looks like over the edge of there ladder going into the coop because they are splat all over the ground one on top of the other. The shell appears to be soft and very thin. Is this normal? Is it possible that they can lay 2 eggs at once or more likely that 2 hens are laying in the exact same spot? I will attach pictures of the eggs, the good one and the broken ones. Thank you for any info on how to manage this.

 

[rosemarythyme]

New layers can have some kinks that need to be worked out, like controlling when the eggs come, or shelling issues. If the soft, damaged eggs are consistently right on top of each other, it could possibly be a single bird having the issue. Do they have access to a source of calcium, i.e. oyster or eggshell?

 

[HappilyHartley]

New layers can have some kinks that need to be worked out, like controlling when the eggs come, or shelling issues. If the soft, damaged eggs are consistently right on top of each other, it could possibly be a single bird having the issue. Do they have access to a source of calcium, i.e. oyster or eggshell?

I just found out about oyster today. I am planning on getting some tomorrow. My other hen that is laying has absolutely perfect eggs although they are a bit hard to crack.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The other hen with the good eggshells may be getting enough from their feed (if you're feeding layer) or may just be better at utilizing the calcium that's already in her system. But if they don't have some source of calcium they'll end up pulling it from their own bones, which is why supplementing is important.

 

[HappilyHartley]

New layers can have some kinks that need to be worked out, like controlling when the eggs come, or shelling issues. If the soft, damaged eggs are consistently right on top of each other, it could possibly be a single bird having the issue. Do they have access to a source of calcium, i.e. oyster or eggshell?

I added the oyster shell. I have it in a feeder and I throw it out with the scratch. When I started it the broken eggs stopped but they just stopped all together. I still get 2 eggs from my Rhode Island reds but the others stopped. The past 3 days I have been getting the soft eggs again. One on the ground one next to the box and finally yesterday one in the box. But they are still super soft and broken. Is there something else I can't do? My mom (who is a little loop) said try feeding them egg shells. Can I do that? If so how? Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is there something else I can't do? My mom (who is a little loop) said try feeding them egg shells. Can I do that? If so how? Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it!

Yes you can try crushed egg shells instead of oyster shell (or mix them both together), some birds prefer egg shell so that may help them with eating it.

 

[Matejka]

I rinse my eggshells and let them thoroughly dry. I have a gas oven sometimes I set pan of eggshells in oven turned off and let the pilot light heat dry them. Then I crush and toss in run or put in bowl with oystershell.

 

[aart]

some birds prefer egg shell so that may help them with eating it.

Definitely!