MY CHICKENS KEEP HAVING TROUBLE PASSING EGGS AND BUST INSIDE?

[cyndalrash]

I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I SOAKED MY BABY TONIGHT SHE IS ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD OR ALMOST. SHE IS THE 3RD ONE OUT OF MY 16 TO DO THIS. WHAT CAUSES THIS? I HAD SO MANY CHICKENS GROWING UP AND WE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. AM I FEEDING THEM WRONG? I LET THEM ROAM FREE TOO. SO I AM JUST HEARTBROKEN. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO? HELP ANY THOUGHTS ANY ANSWErS?

 

[WhiteWyan]

Are the shells thin? Are all the hens 4 years and older?

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to BYC!
What are you feeding her? Corn has very little nutritional value. Chickens require feed that is formulated for poultry. Do you offer oyster shell? I feed my flock Flock Raiser with a separate container of Oyster Shell. Scratch and treats should be fed minimally.

 

[Kiki]

Corn is not a complete feed and it will cause chickens to get fat.
Fat chickens have serious health problems.
A complete poultry feed diet only is best.

 

[WhiteWyan]

I also feed flockraiser 20% protein, with no added calcium. They love it when it is wetted down with a little water. I then give them oyster shell mixed in with their scratch and corn on the ground so they get plenty. There is also a mound if oyster shell in the yard in the sun, they can always go pick through it in the evening when they are bored. My hens shells are very thick and hard.
I wonder if your chickens are deficient in calcium and their fragile shells are cracking inside of them.

 

[cyndalrash]

Are the shells thin? Are all the hens 4 years and older?

SHE IS ONE OF MY OLDESt AND ALMOST 4 YEARS OLD. THERE SHELLS ARE ALL HARD.

 

[cyndalrash]

Corn is not a complete feed and it will cause chickens to get fat.
Fat chickens have serious health problems.
A complete poultry feed diet only is best.

THEY GET EGG LAYER PELLETS AND 7 GRAIN AND CRUSHED CORN ALSO FREE RANGE.

 

[Kiki]

THEY GET EGG LAYER PELLETS AND 7 GRAIN AND CRUSHED CORN ALSO FREE RANGE.

Quit the 7 grain scratch and the corn asap.
Feed only the laying pellets.

This does a good job at explaining why.
https://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

 

[cyndalrash]

I also feed flockraiser 20% protein, with no added calcium. They love it when it is wetted down with a little water. I then give them oyster shell mixed in with their scratch and corn on the ground so they get plenty. There is also a mound if oyster shell in the yard in the sun, they can always go pick through it in the evening when they are bored. My hens shells are very thick and hard.
I wonder if your chickens are deficient in calcium and their fragile shells are cracking inside of them.

THEIR EGGS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HARD. THEY HAVE ROCKS AND CRUSHED SHELL THEY ALSO GET THE BLOCK THEY PICK ON ALONG WITH CRACKED CORN, 7 GRAIN, AND THEN THE PELLETS FOR EGG LAYING

 

[cyndalrash]

Welcome to BYC!
What are you feeding her? Corn has very little nutritional value. Chickens require feed that is formulated for poultry. Do you offer oyster shell? I feed my flock Flock Raiser with a separate container of Oyster Shell. Scratch and treats should be fed minimally.

THEY GET PELLETS FOR LAYING HENS, 7 GRAIN AND CRACKED CORN, THEY ARE ALSO FREE RANGE. THEY HAVE ROCKS AND CRUSHED SHELL AND THE BLOCK 1 A MONTH.