One of the girls is regularly laying VERY soft shelled eggs.

[TinyLittleFarm]

We've been finding our eggs covered in yolk when we went out at the end of the day to collect them, yet it didn't seem anyone was eating eggs. No shells or yolky beaks or anything. Today I went to dump poopboards and collect eggs (didn't get them yesterday) and found two very very soft shelled eggs. Based on the number of eggs I collected I believe just one hen is having this trouble.

I know this happens every now and again, but all the other eggs are nice and hard and they get dried egg shells fed back to them for calcium. I think it's one hen who is having trouble over and over. I'm not sure which one it is, but I know based on the size of the egg that it is one of my 2 year old Red Sex Links.

Is there anything I can/should do?

 

[littlequail21]

i buy the oyster shell at TSC, comes in a 50 pound bag and the price doesnt break the bank it also last for a very long time, they even come in smaller bags for a smaller flock. i would feed that out, and see what happens other then that. Yes it does happen from time to time, but you also could have a Poor layer chicken.

 

[ChicKat]

Think about taking these steps:

• When you add 1Tablespoon of AppleCider vinegar per gallon to their water, it helps their digestive system have the correct pH for maximum absorbtion of nutrients in their feed.
• provide oyster shells - free choice, all the time. along with the egg shells that you crush up
• You may want to give a vitamin supplement for chickens -- or you may want to add some vitamin D3 to their feed. You can buy tablets and crush---mix with moistened feed...and boost their vit. D3 intake
• Read the label on the layer feed that you give them, and make sure that you have the one with the most calcium incorporated-- get a good layer ration for your birds.
• Reduce the treats---that don't have calcium----

Hope you can resolve the soft shell issue. Good luck!

 

[BuffOrpington88]

I agree with giving them oyster shell.