New egg layer...soft shells

[erinkate]

My 4 1/2 month old Plymoth Rock started laying 5 days ago. Her first egg was small but hard-shelled. Her second was almost regular sized and hard shelled. The last three have been soft-shelled and de-formed. At what point do I worry and adjust her diet or research other health issues...or is this normal?

Thanks!

 

[chicmom]

Those kinds of eggs happen often with newly laying hens. One thing you can do is put out a container of crushed oyster shells for the girls, which will supply them some extra calcium to promote strong eggshells.

It's nothing to worry about....I call those eggs practice eggs!

 

[Chicky Monkey]

Sometimes my young (5 months) hens will lay 'faux eggs' during the night. It's like everything but the shell. The first time it happened, the rubbery outer part looked like a condom, and it totally freaked me out!! It didn't have a yolk. The next time it happened, there was a yolk, so then I knew what it was. WHEW! I was so worried about what the heck was going on in that chicken coop at night! This is happening less and less as they get older. I try to hurry and clean it up before they have a chance to taste it and like it! I don't want them going after their own eggs!