Rubber eggs and cecal poops

[Lindy Wyatt]

I have four chickens, two black australorps and two barred rocks. I got them as pullets from McMurray hatchery back in April. Have been feeding Kalmbach Organic Layer Pellets since they arrived and have offered ManaPro grit and oyster shells daily too. They have two waterers that are changed daily. I supplement a little bit of probios, garlic and food grade Diatomaceous earth in their food. I think one of the australorps and maybe the others too that keeps laying rubber eggs. I googled and read that it could be from heat, stress, young layers, and/or low calcium. Sometimes I find the soft egg shell in the nesting boxes and other times out in dirt in the run. These are well loved and VERY pampered chickens. I am in Richmond, VA and we have been having really hot days around 90 to 95 degrees. This has been happening over the last month and half since they just started laying. I noticed usually a rubber egg for two days, then a couple of times a big double yolk egg and then not laying for a couple of days. Seems maybe she is just trying to get her system straight. Would appreciate any advice. Also one or two of them often have cecal poops pretty often. I do not see any worms in their poop. Is this normal? Many thanks!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Soft shells on first eggs is very common. It can take a month or two for their system to mature providing larger, firm shelled, normal shaped eggs.

You shouldn't have been feeding them layer feed since chicks. It's a high calcium feed that should only be used for birds already or at point of lay. Next go round with chicks feed them a starter/grower ration until laying then switch over to layer feed if you want or only supply oyster shell on the side. That's all many of us do is provide an all flock type feed like non medicated starter and oyster shell in side dish for laying hens to eat at their own discretion.

 

[Lindy Wyatt]

Charles, thank you so much for your reply! I am hoping they will get on track soon. When they arrived April 1st they told me they were between 15 and 22 weeks. I couldn't get over how big they were. They looked very healthy and were very social. I didn't know how big a pullet would be. I called and asked McMurray Hatchery if this layer feed was okay and they said yes. Next time I will do the stater. Hoping my four girls will be with me for years and years to come.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most people will start layer feed around 20 weeks old or when they start laying. I agree that rubber eggs and double yolkers are common in new layers, so it should clear up soon.