New Layers and Rubber Eggs

[DHAllen0425]

I have 3 R.I. reds that have just started laying about (for about two weeks, now). The first week or so I got 3 perfect eggs a day. For the past few days Ive been getting 1 perfect egg. If there are 2 others they are usually very light brown with a thin shell, or soft to the touch. Should I be concerned? They have a bowl of oyster shells in the run, and are given dandelion along with a high quality feed. My concern is that they are allowed to free-range. could something in their free-range diet be causing this? I also bring them home a lot of veggies (tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots) from my job. could this have anything to do with the rubber eggs? They are new layers, so im trying to be patient. but this is somewhat alarming. Any advise?

 

[joker468]

Free range is the best diet they can have. Put oyster shells right on the ground where they forage. I put an entire 50# bag of oyster shell on the ground of the pen two years ago and there is still oyster shell in the dirt. I also save any and all eggshells to crush and re feed. Microwave them first though, as sometimes chickens will learn to start eating their own eggs by re feeding eggshells. If you boil, bake or microwave them the smell is different than raw shells that have left over albumen in them.