Pullet had soft shelled eggs and staying in the nesting box at night

[JuliaSunshine]

I have ten 23-week-old Light Sussex pullets that have been laying for about 3 weeks or so.
When they started to lay, I offered egg shells for them to eat.
About a week later, I ran out of egg shells and couldn't buy oyster shells for 2-3 days.
At that time, I was also putting off giving them layer feed, waiting to finish what they had been eating.
It was not very smart of me.
On the 3rd morning with no egg shells offered, I found 2 soft shelled eggs in the box first thing in the morning. I didn't know whoes eggs they were.
Also other normal eggs had rather thin shells.
Worried, I gave them layer feed and managed to get egg shells and oyster shell right away.
But a couple of days later, I noticed one pullet, Emo, was walking very slowly. I suspected she was egg bound but thankfully she had 2 soft shelled eggs in the evening that day. So I guessed the first two soft shelled eggs were also from her, laid in the late evening.
Her movement got better over the next few days and started to lay normal eggs after that.
Other chickens started to lay eggs with thicker shells, too.
But I noticed Emo stays in the nesting box for a long time, at least one or two hours.
Tonight when it was all dark, I saw her sitting in the nesting box as if she's laying.
I took her out of the box even though she was complaining with sharp cries and put her on the perch which is higher than the box.
She stood there for a minute and went back into the box.
Is she trying to lay an egg or just sitting in there?
But it looked like she already laid one this morning after staying in the box for 2 hours.
There's always been egg and oyster shells around since I ran out of them 2 weeks ago.
I wonder if she has some genetic issues with egg laying.
Any ideas what I can do to help her?
I'm hesitant to poke into her vent because she might have a soft shelled egg again and it can break inside if it's poked.

 

[cavemanrich]

Just let Emo be as she wants to be. Don't try to command her to be something she is not comfortable being just yet. Still young pullet.
Often times, hens will sleep in nesting boxes due to being bullied on the roost.
You have 10 hens... How much roosting space do you have in your coop???

A hen sleeping in a nesting box is not the END OF THE WORLD,, situation. How many nesting boxes do you have??
The only bad thing about hens sleeping in nests,,,,,,,,,,,, is the resulting chicken gumdrops they leave overnight. Yes,,, I know that does soil the eggs. You then need to wash your eggs, before storing them. Then they need refrigeration since bloom is washed off.

Consider blocking off the nesting boxes, at roost time. (actually just a little before).. Then when it is dark,, and chickens are sleeping,, remove covers,, or do it early in the morning.

Here are a few chicken facts that may be helpful.

Chickens do not have night vision. That means that they do not move around much in the dark. Also means that they are not likely to peck other chickens nearby. Come morning, and light appears,, and everything changes.

Chickens do not lay eggs during night-time. If they miss the opportunity during light, then they hold over until morning. It does happen, but not often that chickens will roost drop eggs at night.

Chicken factories keep lights on nonstop. That does not mean chickens do not sleep. They snooze short periods when they need them.

Chickens in general lay eggs on a 25 hour cycle. That means that in an ideal universe, each day the egg comes one hour later. When it gets dark and not laid yet,,,, the hen waits until first chance in morning,, (or when light appears)
Chickens are not computers,, so their cycles can and do vary.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[JuliaSunshine]

Just let Emo be as she wants to be. Don't try to command her to be something she is not comfortable being just yet. Still young pullet.
Often times, hens will sleep in nesting boxes due to being bullied on the roost.
You have 10 hens... How much roosting space do you have in your coop???

A hen sleeping in a nesting box is not the END OF THE WORLD,, situation. How many nesting boxes do you have??
The only bad thing about hens sleeping in nests,,,,,,,,,,,, is the resulting chicken gumdrops they leave overnight. Yes,,, I know that does soil the eggs. You then need to wash your eggs, before storing them. Then they need refrigeration since bloom is washed off.

Consider blocking off the nesting boxes, at roost time. (actually just a little before).. Then when it is dark,, and chickens are sleeping,, remove covers,, or do it early in the morning.

Here are a few chicken facts that may be helpful.

Chickens do not have night vision. That means that they do not move around much in the dark. Also means that they are not likely to peck other chickens nearby. Come morning, and light appears,, and everything changes.

Chickens do not lay eggs during night-time. If they miss the opportunity during light, then they hold over until morning. It does happen, but not often that chickens will roost drop eggs at night.

Chicken factories keep lights on nonstop. That does not mean chickens do not sleep. They snooze short periods when they need them.

Chickens in general lay eggs on a 25 hour cycle. That means that in an ideal universe, each day the egg comes one hour later. When it gets dark and not laid yet,,,, the hen waits until first chance in morning,, (or when light appears)
Chickens are not computers,, so their cycles can and do vary.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

Thank you for replying. The roosting space is 12 feet long at the same level and I have 4 nesting boxes for 10 chickens.

Emo left the nesting box this morning a bit after I let the other chickens out. No eggs or poop in the box. I'll keep an eye on her.

 

[JuliaSunshine]

This morning she got out of the box for a bit and went back in there and sat for 3 hours. She laid 2 pale eggs looking a bit thin shelled. I think she's prone to have two eggs a day.
I've been noticing a few pale pink thin-shelled eggs, something's two a day, and they were probably hers.
Two hours after she left the box, she went back to the box and sat again. Her pupils dilated.
I gave her half an egg cooked with milk and powdered egg shell.
Hopefully she's getting enough calcium for all this egg laying.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

If she is laying two eggs at a time it isn’t surprising if she needs extra calcium. Try giving her a calcium citrate +D3 pill every day until she starts laying more normal eggs. You can get it at most drug stores or vitamins section of grocery stores. Citracal +D3 is a brand name but most places sell a generic. I get mine at Walmart. Just pop the whole pill on her mouth and she will swallow it.

 

[JuliaSunshine]

If she is laying two eggs at a time it isn’t surprising if she needs extra calcium. Try giving her a calcium citrate +D3 pill every day until she starts laying more normal eggs. You can get it at most drug stores or vitamins section of grocery stores. Citracal +D3 is a brand name but most places sell a generic. I get mine at Walmart. Just pop the whole pill on her mouth and she will swallow it.

Thank you. Actually it turned out that she was broody and I've been dealing with it for the last few days.
I didn't know pullets can go broody.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Thank you. Actually it turned out that she was broody and I've been dealing with it for the last few days.
I didn't know pullets can go broody.

I have seen people say they had one go broody the week they started laying.