One of my hens is laying thin-shelled eggs but I don't know who

[StinkyAcres]

One of my hens has been laying thin-shelled eggs for a week or so. I am finding a fragile or broken egg in the nesting box every day now. They get 17% layer feed and free choice crushed oyster shell, but they are on pasture now so not eating as much of the feed. I'd like to help her out by giving her calcium + D3 tablets, but I don't know who it is! Is it safe to give it to all of them? What else can I do?

 

[Debbie292d]

Extra calcium for a day wouldn't hurt at all. I'm just wondering if it'd be easier if you make a mash of their feed with water, then smash up a couple of TUMS in it, if they'd not all just gobble that down.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Update: I gave all my brown egg layers one calcium+D3 tablet and haven't had a broken egg since. We did get a fairy egg though and I assume it's from the problem hen. I still can't tell who it is, but at least the problem has been resolved for now.

Thanks @Debbie292d ! It wasn't a big deal giving each of them a tablet at night while they were on the roost.

 

[StinkyAcres]

The broken eggs are back, even after giving more calcium. I still don't know who it is and it's getting frustrating. The other eggs in the box and the liners get covered in nasty sticky yolk and I've just been throwing all the eggs out because I don't want to deal with cleaning that off.

Should I confine them to the coop and run so they eat more layer feed and oyster shell?

 

[6-Hens-and-Me]

The broken eggs are back, even after giving more calcium. I still don't know who it is and it's getting frustrating. The other eggs in the box and the liners get covered in nasty sticky yolk and I've just been throwing all the eggs out because I don't want to deal with cleaning that off.

Should I confine them to the coop and run so they eat more layer feed and oyster shell?

Hi there, I’ve had this problem years ago and this is how I fixed it:
I would confine them until they revert back to laying properly but

It is tricky to think of anything else you can try but, As long as 90% of her diet is a good quality layers feed, has free access to mixed grit and oyster shell and is wormed there isn’t a lot else to do.

You could try a ‘Feather, Shell and Bone’ liquid supplement you could add to the water to see if that helps.

Are they malting? If they are up the calcium and protein in their diet (do this anyway) but if they are they will focus the calcium on themselves first and then the eggs after

Layers pellets are important first though, another thing you could try is scrambling egg with milk and oats (small amount of milk) with the eggshell mashed up in it

Other than that its hard to say, I’d advise you stay away from the tablets that you were feeding as this can cause irregular egg production (as you have experienced) and you don’t want them to stop because if they stop they will most likely stop laying all together, this is because the egg track is designed for hard eggs not soft ones


Hope this helps, let me know

 

[StinkyAcres]

Hi there, I’ve had this problem years ago and this is how I fixed it:
I would confine them until they revert back to laying properly but

It is tricky to think of anything else you can try but, As long as 90% of her diet is a good quality layers feed, has free access to mixed grit and oyster shell and is wormed there isn’t a lot else to do.

You could try a ‘Feather, Shell and Bone’ liquid supplement you could add to the water to see if that helps.

Are they malting? If they are up the calcium and protein in their diet (do this anyway) but if they are they will focus the calcium on themselves first and then the eggs after

Layers pellets are important first though, another thing you could try is scrambling egg with milk and oats (small amount of milk) with the eggshell mashed up in it

Other than that its hard to say, I’d advise you stay away from the tablets that you were feeding as this can cause irregular egg production (as you have experienced) and you don’t want them to stop because if they stop they will most likely stop laying all together, this is because the egg track is designed for hard eggs not soft ones


Hope this helps, let me know

Thanks! I will keep them off the pasture and see if that helps. I only gave them two calcium tablets a couple days apart as I know the tablets aren't good for them long-term. They have access to grit and oyster shell. They are not molting. I've never had chickens lay through molt, so I increase protein and reduce calcium during that time.

 

[6-Hens-and-Me]

Thanks! I will keep them off the pasture and see if that helps. I only gave them two calcium tablets a couple days apart as I know the tablets aren't good for them long-term. They have access to grit and oyster shell. They are not molting. I've never had chickens lay through molt, so I increase protein and reduce calcium during that time.

Ok, try to go up to 90% layers pellets. Also, you could try the scrambled egg

 

[Debbie292d]

The broken eggs are back, even after giving more calcium. I still don't know who it is and it's getting frustrating. The other eggs in the box and the liners get covered in nasty sticky yolk and I've just been throwing all the eggs out because I don't want to deal with cleaning that off.

Should I confine them to the coop and run so they eat more layer feed and oyster shell?

I just put a pile of oyster shell right outside the chicken door. (That's covered and sheltered.) It's there at all times and those who need it, eat it. They see it on their way in and way out.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I just put a pile of oyster shell right outside the chicken door. (That's covered and sheltered.) It's there at all times and those who need it, eat it. They see it on their way in and way out.

Thanks. I don't have a sheltered place outside the door, but I was looking at the oyster shell and grit feeder I have inside on the wall and noticed it's very dark in that corner. I think I should try to move it to a place that gets more natural light and see if that helps.