Other hens peck at ones butt and she lays a shell-less egg which they eat

[scottewine]

I am kind of a newbie, started this spring. I have 14 (8 leghorns, 3 silkies, RIR, PR, sex link) otherwise health and happy hens that I bought this spring, they are all laying and I have had no health issues. According to what I have read, their coop and run are sized correctly and they free range every day for 2-3 hours. I get between 9-12 eggs a day. Twice in the last couple weeks I have seen in the evening where one hen (once with a silkie, this evening it was a leghorn) will kind of get pecked in the but by other hens and there will be some chasing and then the hen will lay an egg without a shell that they others will eat, after that all returns to normal. I am not sure what exactly starts it, if the targe hen shows some body language and the others know what is about to happen or if their pecking at her but starts it. Any ideas? Is this somewhat normal? Otherwise the chickens do not peck at each other and all are very healthy and happy.

Scott

 

[chikkenfriend]

The shell-less part could be due to a calcium deficiency. Are you supplying oyster shell?? We got a few shell-less and a few thin shelled ones in the beginning. No more after the oyster shell.

Look it up, it sure sounds like what we went through. Best of luck

 

[scottewine]

I am supplying oyster shell and the eggs I get have very strong shells.