Problem with my BR pullet?

[Happy Chooks]

I went out tonight to give my chickens a treat of cucumber. All but my BR (23 weeks old) came over to eat it. She is usually my noisiest "talker" and always bock, bocks at me. She just was standing there, then bending down a bit, like she was going to poo. So I pick her up and looked at her vent. It looked fine, except it looked like a string of that white stuff that holds the yolk in place was dangling from her. Then I felt her abdomen area because I knew she was due to lay an egg but hadn't yet. I didn't feel anything.

I was standing there holding her and I hear a plop and look down. She laid a soft shelled egg. (complete with yolk while I was holding her) I put her down and she started talking again. (although not as vocal as normal)

She started laying Wed which was a perfect egg. Yesterday a soft shelled one broken in the nest, and today another soft shelled one. All of them have oyster shell available. Is it a problem laying 2 soft shelled ones in a row? Was she just having difficulty getting it out?

 

[LynneP]

She's young and her body may be adjusting to creating eggs- but watch over her...

 

[Happy Chooks]

She seems fine this morning.

 

[WalkingWolf]

What feed are you giving her? For some reason my hens do not pick up the oyster shell I put down, but then I also am feeding them layer crumbles. I think the calcium must taste bad. My dogs which will eat almost anything but will do everything they can to avoid swallowing shell when I give them raw eggs. To get them to eat the shell I blend the whole eggs in a blender and then cook them so they have to eat the shell, maybe try this with your hen.

Somebody needs to make styrofoam flavored oyster shell then the birds would go nuts over it. I can't understand where these chickens keep finding styro at to eat but I take it from them almost everyday.

 

[Happy Chooks]

They have the layer feed with the oyster shell in it. Plus our well water is very high in calcium.

And the other 3 that are laying have very strong shells.

 

[LynneP]

I'd give it a little time. Individual birds do not develop at exactly the same rates. She is receiving the correct feed and is making everything including membrane. I wouldn't panic yet. Better that she pass an egg without a shell than get plugged up. The genetics for the chute membrane are in play here, withing a couple of weeks you should see improvement.

 

[chookchick]

I would give them oyster shell on the side anyways. Every chicken has different needs--I noticed that mine cowed down the oystershell when they first started laying, even though they were on mostly layer feed. Now they have slowed down a lot on eating the oystershell, but I always leave it as an option. Almost like their bodies needed to stock up on reserves.

 

[Judy]

Agree, ofter the oyster shell separately, per some experienced folks on here.