New hen 17 weeks laying soft shell

[BusyChickenMom]

I have read that new laying hens can have soft shells to start, but how long until should I wait before I become concerned? This is her third soft shell egg, tho this one was partially shelled.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

It can take a week or so for a hen to start laying correctly. Usually you get a normal egg, then a soft one, then normal again.

If she doesn't start getting more regular shelled eggs, increase her calcium intake with oyster shell or calcium grit. She of course should be on a good layer feed.

LofMc

 

[Cynthia12]

Here's one of my past ones from a girl just starting.

 

[BusyChickenMom]

Here's one of my past ones from a girl just starting. View attachment 3179138View attachment 3179139View attachment 3179140View attachment 3179141

They are so weird, aren’t they? Completely fascinating tho. She is such a good girl. Hopefully they firm up soon.

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x @Lady of McCamley with the Oyster Shells ... Some give Tums when it happens, or Calcium Carbonate (crushed)

 

[Sussex19]

One of mine laid soft shelled eggs for a couple of weeks (it was about a year ago so I can't remember exactly) when she started laying, to the point I was getting worried about her, but then they turned hard and haven't had a problem since!

 

[BusyChickenMom]

One of mine laid soft shelled eggs for a couple of weeks (it was about a year ago so I can't remember exactly) when she started laying, to the point I was getting worried about her, but then they turned hard and haven't had a problem since!

This is good to hear!

 

[Stephoney]

I have 3 new girls that were hatched in March. They’re a cross between Australorp and Isbar and were expected to lay green/moss eggs. Two of them have been laying small eggs regularly for a few weeks, maybe three. One lays lovely green eggs the other lays nice brown eggs almost daily. I just figured out that the third hen is laying soft shell eggs. I had been finding them in the coop for a few weeks off and on, but wasn’t sure if it was the same chicken laying soft and hard eggs on different days (they’re green from what I can tell). Today I found my green egg layer, Caio, laying an egg in a Chick Box and also found a soft shelled green/blue egg in the coop where they sleep. They eat a balanced feed and also have access to oyster shell and crushed dry eggshells. Since they love picking through flowerpots, I mix the shells with the dirt and strategically located them around the yard where the flock free ranges. That way they can snack on it throughout the day. I also bought calcium carbonate powder which I mix into their soaked grains once or twice a week (a tsp, not a crazy amount) to help some of my 2 year old hens that have thinner shells. Seems to have helped. I don’t necessarily want to increase that too much because I don’t want to overtax the systems of my older gals that are no longer laying with too much calcium and also the ones that are already consuming enough from free choice.

Should I be worried 3 weeks out that she is still laying soft shells? If so, what would you recommend?

The pic below is of the eggs from the two hens that have started laying. The large egg is one from Flash, one of my Welsummer hens. It’s just there for size comparison.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I have 3 new girls that were hatched in March. They’re a cross between Australorp and Isbar and were expected to lay green/moss eggs. Two of them have been laying small eggs regularly for a few weeks, maybe three. One lays lovely green eggs the other lays nice brown eggs almost daily. I just figured out that the third hen is laying soft shell eggs. I had been finding them in the coop for a few weeks off and on, but wasn’t sure if it was the same chicken laying soft and hard eggs on different days (they’re green from what I can tell). Today I found my green egg layer, Caio, laying an egg in a Chick Box and also found a soft shelled green/blue egg in the coop where they sleep. They eat a balanced feed and also have access to oyster shell and crushed dry eggshells. Since they love picking through flowerpots, I mix the shells with the dirt and strategically located them around the yard where the flock free ranges. That way they can snack on it throughout the day. I also bought calcium carbonate powder which I mix into their soaked grains once or twice a week (a tsp, not a crazy amount) to help some of my 2 year old hens that have thinner shells. Seems to have helped. I don’t necessarily want to increase that too much because I don’t want to overtax the systems of my older gals that are no longer laying with too much calcium and also the ones that are already consuming enough from free choice.

Should I be worried 3 weeks out that she is still laying soft shells? If so, what would you recommend?

The pic below is of the eggs from the two hens that have started laying. The large egg is one from Flash, one of my Welsummer hens. It’s just there for size comparison.

You may want to start your own thread, helps avoid confusion.
If you know who's laying the soft shelled, crunch up a tablet of calcium carbonate & feed it to that one or even Tums.
Mine get free feed 100% Crushed Oyster Shells daily, when I had a newbie laying soft shelled, I started sprinkling the OS dust on their feed (fermented) and even got some Oyster Shell Flour (garden supply) that I mix into their feed daily. I use the OS dust for my Serama now.

 

[Stephoney]

Hi- Thanks for the suggestions. I started feeding the three new girls a calcium calcium pills with vitamin D added since last Sunday (one pill each night). That was enough to boost all three to lay eggs with hard shells- at first. I discovered that my green egg layer laid two soft eggs in the coop overnight, every other day. I am going to continue the suppliment for all of them until Sunday and then decide rather to continue the suppliment for an additional week for my green egg layer to make sure she’s got a fully charged shell gland. Hopefully she will be good after that. I have additional calcium powder that I mix into the soaked grains they eat and they have access to oyster shell and crushed egg shells in many places where they hang out. I also forgot to mention that my flock gets Black Soldier Fly larvae which is high in calcium. They all have access at night before they go to bed.