One big egg, one little egg, four paper thin eggs, now nothing! Help!

[iread]

At about 18 weeks I found the first egg--a double yolk beauty! Then, a few days later, there was a much smaller egg in the same location. After several more days, I found two eggs in the nesting box that were broken but had paper thin shells. A couplpe of days after that, I found two more. They weren't broken but the shells were paper thin. They felt like reptile eggs or something. My dad called them pullet eggs.

Any way, tomorrow my girls will be 20 weeks old and I haven't found a thing in about two weeks. I have nine girls. One white leghorn, 2 barred rocks, one turken, one strange mix, and 4 buff orphingtons. Any insight?

 

[cmom]

Your Dad is right until your birds are a year old they are pullets. After a year they are hens. When the pullets start to lay they may lay for a day or two then skip several days. Also in the beginning you may find eggs under their roost, soft shell and maybe shell-less. Not to worry. They will lay. Most of my birds were laying by 24 weeks. I did have one that was close to 30 weeks before she started to lay. She was a late bloomer, now my largest hen. I always have a dish of free choice oyster shells near their feed. They will take what they want. It's a good source of calcium to help strengthen their shells. I live in Florida so I get oysters when in season and save the shells and smash them, but you can buy them at the local feed store. TSC carries oyter shells.

 

[iread]

Thanks so much for the information! I was beginning to wonder if I had defective chickens! It seems that any animal with a disability is attracted to me and ends up living at my house. But, I love all of my special needs babies the most! Glad to know the chickens are healthy and average!