One hen laying soft shelled eggs,,,and where I don't want her too

[Hens4Fun]

I have four hens that started laying 2 1/2 weeks ago (2RIRs and 2 EEs). Three of the hens are laying perfect eggs with perfect shells

But one of the Easter Eggers is refusing to laying in a nesting box ... preferring to lay beneath the roosts in all the chicken-manure-to-be on the floor...

ewwww.

I blocked access to the ground directly beneath their roosts....but, she STILL insists on laying somewhere on the ground

, and for 10 days now the eggs are extremely soft and/or broken

(Often she has laid them during the night and they are on the ground when I go out first thing in the morning.)

They eat Laying Crumbles ... and there is oyster shell available both in the hen house and outside in the run. And the other 3 hens are laying eggs with perfect shells (IN the nesting boxes). I feel she has plenty of opportunity for calcium. They also get plenty of Vitamin D, as I am in Southern California and the sun hits one side of the run alllll afternoon.

1. Why does this EE insist on laying eggs on the ground (no one in my previous flock ever laid eggs outside the boxes) ... and 2. what would be causing the soft shells?

 

[sotelomary]

I'm sorry I can't help you. I have the same problem. I have an Ameracauna/EE that has been laying for about 2 months and her eggs are still soft and rubbery. She is also on layer feed with oyster shell available 24/7. It's interesting that we are providing the calcium they need and they are both EE's. I posted a thread but only got one response. They recommended I give her yogurt. But I don't think this will solve the problem.

Mary

 

[Hens4Fun]

awww ... sorry to hear you are having the same problem. Sigh ..... two months, jeeez. That just seems really weird to me, but I guess we wait and see. Thanks for your response.

 

[NonnasBabies]

When one of mine layed one a few times I started researching it on here big time. Most things I read that it was just new layers and the problem would fix itself or it was a dietary problem. Fourtunatly mine did. But, I did read some post where some said that theres just a glitch in some hens that cause them to do this and they might always!! You might wanna try searching in the search engine for soft shell eggs and see what you can find!! Hope you get your problem solved!!

Missi

 

[Hens4Fun]

oh that would be the worst if it were to be an ongoing forever kind of problem..... I will try and research further, though.... Thanks!

 

[nanawendy]

My EE's were a bit iffy about laying as well. Give them time to work out the kinks. Sometimes I still get a softy, I just scramble it up for the girls. I also did something kind of on the weird side. I walked them up the ramp to their nest, sat them in the nest, then walked them down. All the time reminding them of the proper egg laying etiquette.

 

[Hens4Fun]

Yep I know what you mean .... I spent two mornings picking mine up and placing her in the box ... then standing there 'daring her to leave'. Joke was on me though ... she just didn't lay either day