New laying hen with wonky wing and weird eggs

[Dolly_and_Jolene]

My hen has had a messed up wing from about 8 weeks of age. Some of the feathers stick out and her wing doesn’t lay flat. It hasn’t seemed to bother her, but she’s never been able to make it to the top of the coop where the nesting boxes are.
I made a nesting box on the lower level for her which she sits in often, but never lays eggs in. I find the eggs in different corners of the coop. She started laying only about 2 weeks ago and had 3 good eggs. The rest of the eggs have had a soft or dented shell and the last egg was just the yolk.
We feed her layer pellets, mealworms, oyster shells, and corn.
I don’t know if she feels too exposed down at the bottom, it’s chicken wire walls. The rooster also sits in front of her while she’s in her nesting box almost like he’s guarding her.
I am turning a dog house into a coop that has all 4 wooden walls and I am hoping this will help her feel more comfortable. I just hope she’s not sick.

A picture of her first egg

 

[AidKD]

It's very common for a hen's first few eggs to be soft shelled, no shell, etc. I would just give her some time to get regulated with her laying. You could try putting a few fake eggs or golf balls in her nesting box to kind of show her where to lay.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have you seen her eat the oyster shell?

 

[Dolly_and_Jolene]

It's very common for a hen's first few eggs to be soft shelled, no shell, etc. I would just give her some time to get regulated with her laying. You could try putting a few fake eggs or golf balls in her nesting box to kind of show her where to lay.

That makes me feel better. I did put an egg in her box and she knocked it out I’ll try the golf balls next

 

[Dolly_and_Jolene]

Have you seen her eat the oyster shell?

I don’t think I have actually

 

[Dolly_and_Jolene]

So she laid a nice egg in the new coop extension that has four covered walls.
I think she definitely feels more comfortable being sheltered.
Thank you all for you help

 

[FunClucks]

Mine lay in 5 gallon buckets on the floor of the covered run. I put pine shavings in the bottom and use a landscape paver placed in the mouth of the bucket to keep it from moving and keep the shavings in. The prefer dark red or blue buckets over the white ones. Buckets are easy to wash if an egg gets broken or when they get dirty. I use fake eggs to tell them where to lay, it works well for mine.

One day I'll build something nicer and off the floor, but these work well for what they are.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don’t think I have actually

If egg shells continue being an issue past this initial "new layer" period you may need to supplement her, if she isn't eating oyster shell herself. I know it's hard to catch them "in the act" as they may only visit the oyster shell dispenser once or twice a day for a few seconds.

 

[EuroChook]

Sometimes feather follicles can be a bit weird and lead to malformed feathers or feathers that are twisted around in appearance. It can be intrinsic in terms of just misbehaving follicles. However, the more feathers appear that are messed up then the more we next begin to think malnutrition or deficiency.

Soft or denting shells would indicate often a need for more calcium, Phosphorus and/or vit D. Chickens at lay need amounts of calcium that would probably give most humans kidney damage in under a year.

If you search the internet for the breed of chicken you have, you can often find exactly the specifications required for your laying hens.. if Google of Bing feel like providing good results, that is.

Good vibes and very best of luck to you.