Never a Normal Egg

[MEMama3]

I got two "18 month old" hens from a local man in late July. I put the age in quotations because I still have doubts about their age. While in quarantine neither bird laid an egg. No biggie, stress will do that. After no signs of illness they were put in with the flock of 6. A few more weeks and only two weird eggs. One felt like sandpaper and the other was huge and shell less. Getting odd, but still no stress. Finally one of them got into her groove. She lays beautiful jumbo size blue eggs for a couple days and then takes a day off. I get 4 or 5 a week from her. That brings me to the other one.

She lays 1 or 2 eggs a week. Every one has some sort of defect. Weird shape, bullseye stains, many with no shell, odd textures, etc. She has been with me for almost 2 months and I have yet to see a normal egg from her. Should I still have hope or does it seem unlikely that she'll ever lay properly?

Also worth mentioning, she never goes into the coop at night willingly and she only lays in the nest box about 1/3 of the time.

 

[MEMama3]

Don't want to be pushy, but I'd love some help if someone can.

 

[Sandstorm495]

What feed do you give them? Are they free range? Do you give them any scraps?

 

[MamaDoodle]

Do you know what breed she is? The same as the other hen? If so, does she appear as well fed and healthy?

 

[MEMama3]

They are on Blue Seal layer pellets. They free range for most of the day. They occasionally get a little scratch or wheat bread if I need to lure them into the run, but not often and in as little quantity as possible. She is an ameruacana (same as the other hen). She is bottom of the pecking order, but not bullied. Otherwise seems healthy (I did all over checks on everyone when I discovered bumblefoot on one of the others).

 

[chickengeorgeto]

There are maladies that affect the reproductive track of hens. Eggs with rough, wrinkled, soft shells or very thin or weak shells are usually caused by these maladies and stress, poor diet, excess calcium, dehydration etc. are some of these maladies along with some infectious diseases.

Since continuing egg shell problems tend to be more common in older hens, I have never tried to cure a hen of this or research it since in my opinion it is better to cull her. I prefer to spend my time and money caring for and feeding younger hens who lay more and higher quality eggs.

 

[MEMama3]

There are maladies that affect the reproductive track of hens.  Eggs with rough, wrinkled, soft shells or very thin or weak shells are usually caused by these maladies and stress, poor diet, excess calcium, dehydration etc. are some of these maladies along with some infectious diseases.  

Since continuing egg shell problems tend to be more common in older hens, I have never tried to cure a hen of this or research it since in my opinion it is better to cull her.  I prefer to spend my time and money caring for and feeding younger hens who lay more and higher quality eggs.  

I was heading toward culling, but I wasn't sure if I should hold off a bit longer to see if it works itself out. My fear (as you pointed out) is that although they are healthy now, who knows if they were ever seriously sick or in poor health before they came to me.

 

[Sandstorm495]

Why cull her? Get some more hens for egg laying and leave the two that aren't, as pets.

 

[MEMama3]

Why cull her?  Get some more hens for egg laying and leave the two that aren't, as pets.  

I don't have room for more than 8. In order to defray my costs I need hens that produce. We enjoy their little personalities and pamper them like crazy, but in the end, we keep them to provide for our family.

 

[MEMama3]

She struck again. Today she laid an egg the size of an ostrich egg and inside it was another egg that contained two yokes.