We have four one year old hens and now that the days are longer we are are getting at least three egg a day, and have had four a day for the three of the past 7 days. But I am also finding many soft shelled eggs,
I found four yesterday but hadn't clean the coop floor in 4 days. I added more calcium to their feed. Then this morning I found another egg mess on the coop floor. I am sure were at least three and possible four small soft shelled eggs around the same area under the roost and also another one broken all over in front of the next box.
Since all our hens lays different shades of brown I know we are getting fewer eggs from our Buff Orp so I fed her a cooked egg shell and all yesterday morning. But since they free range so only about 40% of thier diet is feed and the two RIR tend to have thin shelled eggs I add crushed eggs to there morning feed when ever I notice the shells thinning. They have free access to additional calcium.
They all appear to be healthy and their vents are clean moist and opened but I am concerned
1. that one of the thin egg will crack internally
2. seems like producing 2-4 eggs, even soft shelled eggs, per day would be hard on a hen.
I should/could be doing anything besides adding calcium?
I found four yesterday but hadn't clean the coop floor in 4 days. I added more calcium to their feed. Then this morning I found another egg mess on the coop floor. I am sure were at least three and possible four small soft shelled eggs around the same area under the roost and also another one broken all over in front of the next box.
Since all our hens lays different shades of brown I know we are getting fewer eggs from our Buff Orp so I fed her a cooked egg shell and all yesterday morning. But since they free range so only about 40% of thier diet is feed and the two RIR tend to have thin shelled eggs I add crushed eggs to there morning feed when ever I notice the shells thinning. They have free access to additional calcium.
They all appear to be healthy and their vents are clean moist and opened but I am concerned
1. that one of the thin egg will crack internally
2. seems like producing 2-4 eggs, even soft shelled eggs, per day would be hard on a hen.
I should/could be doing anything besides adding calcium?
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