Only soft shells!

[cnj-tx50]

I have 25 hens and about 19 are now laying and have been for about 2-3 months. I have 1 SLW that has been laying now for aout a month. SHe started out with normal but small eggs abot every 3rd day. Then I started finding soft shell eggs on the poop boards in the mornings and sometimes in the nest boxes - what a mess that is. I thought someone else was coming on board and had not figured it out yet. Now after two days of watching and gathering eggs every 30 mins. I have noticed that the SLW is the one laying softshell eggs. SHe has even been in the nest boxes three days in a row and no egg. I have caught her every time she leaves the nest and nothing. Not too sure what is going on and if this will continue and will there be problems later on down the line. Any ideas?

 

[muddypuddles]

does she have free choice oyster shell?

 

[cnj-tx50]

Yes. In two different places

 

[jeremy]

She may need more calcium in her diet to strengthen her eggshells- I would make sure there is oyster shell readily available in the run at all times.

Did she just begin laying?

 

[wordgirl]

You could try mixing the oyster shell into the feed if she's not using it. I don't exactly remember what the ratio is – maybe about 2 pounds oyster shell to 50 pounds feed?

 

[cnj-tx50]

Would the extra oyster shell hurt the others? The egg shells are already very hard. Someone told me to "roast" the shells in the oven and crush them up but wouldn't that be the same as oyster shell?

 

[SC_Hugh]

I bought a 50# bag of layer mini-pellets and it comes pre-mixed with oyster shell. I feed it to my 3 pullets and 1 cockerel and they all seem fine and the pullets are laying hard shelled eggs. They never eat all of the oyster shell, so I know that they are getting some but not all of it. Also pullets that are just starting to lay sometimes lay a few thin shells in the beginning and then everything is fine.

I prefer to microwave the old egg shells after I have rinsed them out. A minute at a time until they are nice and hot, after they cool I crushed them and add to their feed.

--Hugh