New member hi from Australia

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pelicanchook

pelicanchook

Chirping
12 Years
Jun 11, 2011
18
23
99
South Australia
Not only am I new to raising chickens, I'm not very good at understanding computer correspondence, so my apologies if I ignore people trying to answer my questions because I don't know what button to press!

I have four lovely ladies, of indeterminate breed, who live in Cluckingham Palace, who used to provide me with four lovely brown eggs every day. Over the last 6 weeks however, one of them is offering up a white egg, with incredibly papery shell - like if I pick it up my finger goes through the shell (very messy!). They free range over three acres of land, have plenty of shell grit easily available, and also self feed on layer pellets. I've even added food grade diatomaceous earth to their pellets, but no improvement. The other three eggs I get are absolutely wonderful - brown, with firm shells etc. '

Any suggestions about what I can do to restore my girl to productive egg laying would be gratefully received. (and here in Australia, it is winter, and our temperature range is 1C - 18C at the moment, if that is of any relevance)

And thanks to this lovely web site - I have learnt much from it
 
Hello from California
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Getting to your question...the soft-shell eggs you are getting from your girl might be an indication that she needs more calcium in her diet. If she is currently getting grower feed, you might want to move her to layer feed. If she is already on layer feed, you might consider adding a form of calcium suppliment to her diet. Oyster shell is a common calcium suppliment used in here in CA.

If you already have supplimental calcium available, it could mean she is just low girl on the totum pole and is not being allowed to eat her fair share - many consider putting additional containers out around the property.

Again...
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Welcome to BYC. I recommend using eggshells crushed into very fine particles, add it to scrambled eggs and give it to your hens feed that is producing the soft shelled eggs. Calcium added to their feed is ok for about a week, but too much of it will cause future problems. Diatomaceous earth is used for keeping food dry, it is ineffective when wet until it dries out. It is wet inside the chickens innards.
 
Thanks so much for your responses - I had wondered if she was being pushed out by the others, but couldn't actually catch them at it. I shall start the diet of scrambled eggs and eggshells on her tomorrow:D.
 

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