New boxes causing stress

[534EBC]

Today one of my 4 hens layed a shell-less (or soft-shelled?) egg. It was brown, perfectly formed and held together. In trying to find a solution to their egg breaking/ eating... I ordered a product called a roll-away tray that we've recently modified to fit my existing coop & nest boxes. My hens are having a tough time readjusting and 2 are even laying in the coop vs. the "new" box. My guess is the weird egg today is related to the stress of change?... Also I kept interrupting & intruding on her laying to attempt to coax & encourage her to use the box. Am I thinking correctly? They get a complete +balanced poultry layer feed & oyster shell. Diet is unchanged. Plenty of water available at all times. Thoughts?

 

[paddock36]

I would mix a little of the oyster shell in with their food when you feed them. That way they are more likely to eat it, rather than just free choice on the side. I don't think it's the box. I think your egg eating problems stems from weak shells that are easier to break making them easier to eat. I'm no expert but I have had the same problem in the past.

 

[aart]

I would mix a little of the oyster shell in with their food when you feed them. That way they are more likely to eat it, rather than just free choice on the side. I don't think it's the box. I think your egg eating problems stems from weak shells that are easier to break making them easier to eat. I'm no expert but I have had the same problem in the past.

I disagree.
Oyster shell should be separate from feed, especially if feed is layer feed which already had plenty of calcium.

New nests could definitely cause some stress and stress can cause funky eggs.
ANY change can cause stress....they are not liking it much at all.
Intruding can cause stress too.

I've read that folks installing roll away nests often leave the bedding in at first and slowly reduce the amount of bedding.

New layers often lay thin shelled or shell less eggs for the first month of so of laying, these are easily broken and eaten but should not be considered an egg eating problem. Are they new layers?

 

[534EBC]

No, not new layers. They are most definitely stressed with the modified nests... and several are now laying in the coop (which they didn't do before). Leaving their "known" bedding (pine shavings) in the nests and slowly reducing it is an excellent idea! Thanks for the support and advice.