new hen/egg issues

[mrbaker30]

hey all....i just joined and just got my hens. well, i've had them about a month now. the farm where i bought them told me i'd get eggs the first of august. i have one RIR and two buff orpingtons. the RIR laid her first egg on june 28th. she laid for three days, skipped a day, laid two more and hasn't laid for three days now.

i also found a very brittle egg in the box....so brittle the slightest touch caused it to crumble. i also found a leathery egg that was crushed the following day and another leathery egg just today.

they eat GMO free food from the farm where they were raised, some scratch in the morning and seem to be happy....i'm not sure what's happening.

there was a hole in the ground in the coop. i'm afraid it's a snake hole or some vermin stealing my eggs.....help!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas mrbarker30, and . Pleased you joined us. Do your hens have access to crushed oyster shell? This is a calcium source that leads to hard eggshells.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join us here! I agree with redsoxs, do you have shell out for them? Also new layers can sometimes lay pretty funky eggs untill they get their laying machines in full working order.
Here is a lovely article on eggs quality problems ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/common-egg-quality-problems

Good luck for the future and enjoy BYC

 

[drumstick diva]

Do you think the hole you found was made by a predator OR your hens? They do like to dig. Are your girls getting layer feed, with a side holder of crushed oyster shell - they can take free choice if desired?.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC - you have some great advice already so I'll just say hello!


All the best
CT

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!