Sad egg/pullet situation

[warmheart]

Yesterday, 3 dear pullets arrived, a 4 month old Barred Rock, 6 month old Partridge Rock, and a 6 month old Golden Comet. The most wonderful thing for me is that the Golden Comet lets me pet her. I am partially blind with some residual eyesight left, and somehow, it means the world to me to be able to softly stroke a chicken who comes up to me for attention. This sounds stupid, but this makes the experience a rich and special one for me, brings me such joy.

This afternoon, I found an egg-- probably the Golden Comet's-- and it has a very rough, sandpapery, strage feel to the shell (which is truly white, not light brown). The shell feels fragile somehow, too. This, I am realizing, may be a calcium uptake problem. I'll try oyster shell in the feed, but, this looks not so good.

We have very limited space, and cannot keep her if she lays calcium-deficient, weak-shelled eggs. If they break in the coop and the 3 hens all learn to eat their eggs, that's not good, either.

Will any Golden Comet let me pet her, or just this one? Sorry, this is a silly newbie question, I am sure. Just feeling kinda bummed right now. Thanks for any input.

 

[Gardeningmama]

I have 3 out of my 30 chickens that will sit still for me to pet. Mine are all friendly, but not keen on petting. She sounds like a keeper to me. I would throw some oyster shell in with them and see what happens. Best of Luck.

 

[cmom]

I would give them some oyster sells too. I have a dish in each of my coops with grit and oyster shells in them and they take what they want. Every once in awhile I will get a thin or rough shell egg. Some of my birds will let me pet them and some won't. I have one young cockerel that comes running up to me for his hug whenever he sees me.

 

[foxy2320]

It's probably just stress. The stress of moving, a new environment, new people, can really mess with a laying system. I'm kind of surprised she laid at all the first day. Definitely try putting out some oyster shell, it's probably a temporary thing. I've had a few like that and they were trampled and smeared in the coop, but have not had any egg-eaters so far. Good luck!

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I agree with stress being part of the cause. Oyster shell is a good idea too. Chickens do lay soft shelled eggs sometimes.

Best of luck!

CG3

 

[n8ivetxn]

Agreed, try the oyster shell.... I recently had a Buff Orpington hen that laid eggs with not shell at all.... she would peck them and break the membrane and gulp in down in seconds.... the others (25 of them!) started looking at (their own) eggs and tried pecking at them, but fortunately they were very hard and nobody ever broke one....Sadly, I did cull the hen.

 

[cmom]

If the eggs break in the nest boxes the birds will eat the broken egg but I have never had any become egg eaters.

 

[n8ivetxn]

The BO definitely had an absorption problem - none of my other girls have ever had anything like it....

I think your little Golden Comet just needs a little extra calcium in her diet, or like posted above - just all the stress, plus her system is new to laying eggs....pullets are known for laying odd/bizarre eggs for the few weeks/months of laying.... Don't worry, I think she'll be ok...

I too, am surprised she laid the first day. The only hens I ever had do that were 2 Salmon Favorelles I brought home a few months ago, they never missed a day - I thought for sure they would stop for a while so they could readjust to their new home....nope!

 

[warmheart]

Thank you all so very much for the encouragement! I am hoping it's just the stress of moving. The environment is probably a shock, too: She has never felt wind, sunlight, nor been just one pullet with 2 others in a huge garden with varied rough terrain & cover (tall herbs, wildflowers, veggie plants) to navigate before. She's even confused & last in the coop in evenings, as she lived where they kept lights on late so hens would lay longer. Jet-lagged pullet?

As much as her world is improved, maybe she's overwhelmed just yet. She seemed stunned to taste grass for the first time, confused pecking at fallen pears, but did go right for worms she found under a bag of peat moss.

Flightfeathers crossed here that this is just relocation stress! Hoping the oyster shell works, as well as time in her new home. Prudence let me pet her this morning. No egg yet. Thank you all for the encouragement!

 

[off-grid hen]

Yes, I think she needs time to adjust. Oyster shells added on the side won't hurt either. Welcome to BYC.