Older chickens and oyster shell and grit

[the girls club]

My girls are over 2 years old. I have 5 chickens ....The oyster shell and grit are free choice in separate chicken feeders
The problem is one chicken has a really thin shell. I pick it up and it breaks in my hand.This started several months ago.. The other egg shells are just a little thin .Not as bad as the one. The oyster shell and grit never seems to go down in the containers. Is it because of the age of the chickens?The one soft shelled egg doesn't look like the others. It's bigger and has wrinlkles. The other eggs are formed like they should be. I realize they are older. I get 1 to 4 eggs daily. Sometimes 5. But that is probably do to the age and shorter in the season. Less sun.. So any ideas would be helpful. . They get enough feed also. Thanks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How old are they?
The ability to apply sufficient calcium carbonate in the shell diminishes over time but it is usually in much older birds.
Have they been on layer feed or just have oyster shell available?
The ratio of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D has to be correct for good shell quality.
Are they getting foods other than chicken feed? If so, what percentage of their intake is chicken feed?

 

[chickens really]

Layer pellets need to be fed.....Depending on how much treats/scraps you feed??? That could be your issue with thin shells....They are not eating enough of the proper diet....To trick my Birds into eating the oyster shell I will add some feed and scratch to it....Not much, possible handful and mix it up....They eat the oyster shell and zero issues after that......



Cheers!

 

[farmgirllvo]

If they are in a pen, put it on the ground outside and let them scratch it up