One of my hens (unexpectedly) laid her first two eggs

[StephanieRose44]

Sapphire (who laid first two nice eggs above)

My Sapphire Gem (Her name is Sapphire) laid her first egg on 2/26 (it was warmer out that week) Than her second came the next day. The temp dropped here the following night so I couldn’t get her to go into the coop where she’s able to lay ( I have one coop I made from a dog cage that they moved into after they were grown enough to withstand the temps. Here in NY, in that have my two cockerals in and a heating source, the second coop I brought out but want intended or expected to have to use it until spring. So the old coop with no nest boxes had a heat source and the new one with nest boxes does not but I did insulate it well enough after I realized that I need to move some in there.

The noises some have been making it’s like a honking noise, which I originally suspected was the “egg song” but now I believe it means that they need to lay an egg right at that moment or are close to laying? Not sure on that?

I’m also concerned because I found what looked like a soft shell kind of shriveled and flattened I don’t believe I have found 3 so far and I don’t think it’s from the hen that laid the “real” egg only because the times I found them 2 were In old cage coop with the whole flock (about half are a week younger than the other half)

** UPDATED Yesterday I had all 10 hens out near there new coop so they could go in and lay if needed,after leaving them be for a while the coop is currently under my back deck ( which is insulated upstairs so it stays dry under there when it snows or rains) anyway I came out after about an hourpeeking out every now and than through my window, and found the first one in one of there holes they make on the ground (under the deck) the second one which looks a little smaller shaped than the first one I found not too far from that one. The second smaller one was warm to the touch so I knew it had been just laid (by who I’m not sure I do have a silkie hen? Does anyone think that could be a Silkie egg?) it had more hardness to the shell the rest of it was soft and the insides were oozing out. The first one reminded me a lot like the soft flattened shell/skins I had found Previously but has more of a solid egg form obviously, but this one was cold so it had been there some time, most of it was soft shelled.


This is my other Sapphire Gem Rainy

ROSIE ISA BROWN

LEFT TO RIGHT (Sapphire,Rainy,Blackie)

Josephina (who I think is a Bantam GLW)and my Silkie hen Cinnamon

Violet (EE)

Left Rusty ISa Brown

Cookie (EE)

Josephina ( I think is a GLW Bantam) because she’s 18 weeks old today and has always been so tiny (her head is fast lol)

These are the hens that were out that day My biggest concern would be that no one laid the egg and than someone pecked at it: tried eating it my other of course is the quality of the eggshells - is it possible for the Sapphire Gem whoaif the solid perfect eggs the first time could lay eggs like the first larger one (like is it possible for her egg quality to go backwards good to bad?)

 

[9SpiceyChickens]

Yes, those to were just spoofs.

You do have a Bantam GLW(Its my favorite variety and breed )

How old are they?

If they're all 18 weeks old, she might have wonky eggs for a bit.

 

[StephanieRose44]

They are all 18 weeks except for the 2 EEs (Cookie & Violet) The GLW (Josephina), other Black hen (Blackie-not sure on her breed yet) 1 ISA Brown (Rosie) are 17 weeks and 3 days. Rusty my other ISA Brown is 19 weeks 3 days. She’s the oldest

 

[Criticalicious]

Your girls are beautiful. Do you provide calcium on the side? Soft eggs are common when they first start to lay, but if calcium is not provided, their bodies will leech it from their bones to make the egg shell.

 

[aart]

Soft shells are not uncommon at first.
Doesn't really have to do with calcium, just 'start' up' glitches.
But now is the time to start providing them with calcium,
either with layer feed and/or Oyster shells in separate container.

 

[StephanieRose44]

Your girls are beautiful. Do you provide calcium on the side? Soft eggs are common when they first start to lay, but if calcium is not provided, their bodies will leech it from their bones to make the egg shell.

Thank you Yes I have been providing them oyster shell, and started them on a layer feed as soon as I saw the first egg. I have 2 roosters and the lady at the feed store said he layer feed should be fine for them as well but they don’t seem to be eating it?

 

[StephanieRose44]

My Sapphire laid her 3rd “good” egg today!

 

[Criticalicious]

Grower or all-flock is better for roosters, but they can eat layer too. They generally won't eat the calcium but they should be eating the feed. If they aren't, what are they eating instead, or are they losing weight? What kind of feeder do you use? Do they free range? (If so they may not need to eat much of the feed.) My roo doesn't like to stick his head in the PVC feeder because his comb is too big for it. So I added a spiral gravity feeder and he seems happier.

 

[StephanieRose44]

I just ran out of the grow & Show yesterday ( which I was feeding to all before the first egg came, than bought a bag of layer feed). So I gave the roosters the layer feed yesterday and today, but I just noticed today they don’t seem too thrilled about it when I come out with the food and they see what it is or what it isn’t.

 

[Criticalicious]

If you switched brands, they may be responding to THAT because the food looks or smells different. Chickens hate change! Better to pick a brand and stick to products in the same brand and of the same type (pellet, mash, crumble, etc.). For example I use New Country Organics mash for starter, grower and layer. The only difference is the protein and how finely it's ground up.