No eggshell

[justvalerie]

Help! I have 8 chickens, born in June 2020.I started getting eggs around the end of october. Getting a couple a day at first, then by December getting 6 or 7 a day. I live in southern oregon and there have only been a few days below freezing. I have a small insulated coop with a 60 watt red heat light in there to give light and keep chickens comfortable. About 2 weeks ago I started only getting only 2 eggs a day, then noticed for a few days I was getting 3 eggs and an egg with no shell on the coop floor. For the last week I'm getting 4 eggs with a shell-less egg on the coop floor. I don't know which chicken it is. I feed them a layer feed and have oyster shell in the run at all times. Should I change food?

 

[CluckerFamily]

What kind of chickens do you have?
Not all breeds lay an egg a day.
What treats are you feeding them?
Anything change with the flock lately? A new design, something scary added, predators around the coop, etc.

 

[justvalerie]

Iha

What kind of chickens do you have?
Not all breeds lay an egg a day.
What treats are you feeding them?
Anything change with the flock lately? A new design, something scary added, predators around the coop, etc.

I have 3 dominant copper, 3 ISA brown and 2 novagen, i feed them nutrena layer feed. I used to let them free range for most of ithe day but the last week or 2 i dont let them out until about 4. I give them scratch once about every other day and they get my left over veggies and fruit. I give them meal worms about once a week. Nothing is different at all, we have a very protected run and they are locked in the coop by 6:30.

 

[dawg53]

Two things: I recommend not having the light on inside the small coop at night. The coop is insulated and your birds will safely adapt to colder temps as their fluff and feathers provide them warmth from the cold. If they get too cold, they'll huddle together. Additionally, the heat may make them too hot and they wont get proper sleep causing stress and effect egg laying.

Secondly: You have 8 birds that are probably full grown and living in a small coop, possibly causing cramped sleeping space which can cause stress resulting in eggs without shells. Perhaps coop expansion is necessary.
Make the necessary adjustments and your birds will lay normal eggs.

 

[justvalerie]

I have 3 dominant copper, 3 ISA brown and 2 novagen, i feed them nutrena layer feed. I used to let them free range for most of ithe day but the last week or 2 i dont let them out until about 4. I give them scratch once about every other day and they get my left over veggies and fruit. I give them meal worms about once a week. Nothing is different at all, we have a very protected run and they are locked in the coop by 6:30.

 

[CluckerFamily]

How big is your coop and run?

 

[justvalerie]

my coop is 5x6x4, my run is 10x16
I just put another roost up in the coop and changed my light timer to simulate the light i'll get in the summer. instead of having it on all night.

 

[CluckerFamily]

That is a big enough coop and run for all your chickens, so the space isn’t stressing them out.
Did you have the white light on all night or did I misunderstand that part?

 

[justvalerie]

no, it is a red reptile light, i had a 40 watt in there and just changed it to 60 watt a few weeks ago...hmmm the 60 watt is brighter so maybe that was the problem, but now ive just set the timer to go of at 9pm and back on at 5am and i think ill change back the the 40 watt.

 

[justvalerie]

just an update on my girls! Since I have changed the the red light to a lower wattage and have the light goin off at night for 9 hours, my hens are doing much better! I've implemented an additional roost and move the nesting boxes next to each other. I am now getting 5 eggs a day as opposed to 2.