my young hen is making a habit of laying shell less eggs; help!

[new chick chick]

My speckled sussex began laying eggs in August. She was never as regular as my other two hens and her eggs didn't get larger as quickly as my other hen's eggs. She was laying maybe 3 or 4 eggs a week for about a month. In September she stopped laying and then one morning I found two shell less eggs under the roost. About 4-5 days later I found two more shell less eggs under the roost. I started putting out a try of oyster shell at this point. I had been mixing it in their food, but decided a big tray full might help. So, after that, she layed one normal egg in the nest (shell still rather brittle). Then several mornings later I found another egg under the roost - but it had a brittle shell. (Why under the roost?) The next day - back to a shell less egg under the roost. I don't know what else to do at this point.
Any suggestions?

 

[silky_3699]

add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to thier water. maybe per 2 Litres.
and keep up the oyster shell.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Is she getting layer feed? and her fair share? It just be taking her awhile to get the cycle down, I bet she's the least dominant too...it's probably a nutritional problem...you might provide her with a separate area where she can eat well...you can try giving her scrambled eggs too, or another more palatable supplement, none of mine are interested in calcium rocks...

 

[new chick chick]

Achickenwrangler#1 :

Is she getting layer feed? and her fair share? It just be taking her awhile to get the cycle down, I bet she's the least dominant too...it's probably a nutritional problem...you might provide her with a separate area where she can eat well...you can try giving her scrambled eggs too, or another more palatable supplement, none of mine are interested in calcium rocks...

She is the most dominant of the three and definitely eats her fare share of very good quality layer feed. I fed them one of those eggs yesterday....so will see if that helps. She pecks at my best layer - who lays every single day without fail!​

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Layer feed has the right amount of calcium for layers - about 4%.
Oyster shell should be provided in a separate container, not mixed with feed, so they can get what they need.

I agree on adding organic ACV to the water. Helps with calcium absorption.
Check for any other problems but good nutrition should straighten her out after she gets into the routine.
I sometimes got soft shells from the roost. It's not unheard of.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

huummmmm...ya got me.