Sandy eggs and calcium--too much? too little?

[OhioChickToo]

We have 6 mature layers and get 4 to 5 eggs a day. When we first got the girls the eggs were smooth except for 1 brown egg ,which was typically lightly sandy/ chalky. We added a dish of oyster shell, thinking the girls weren't getting enough protein. The chickens are all free range and we feed cracked corn and Purina Layena Sunfresh pellets. Yesterday, ALL the eggs except 1 were a bit sandy! What are we doing wrong? Does it matter?

I also feed cottage cheese as a treat once in a great while--someone suggested that the cottage cheese is too high in protein and that is causing the sandy eggs-but the girls have only gotten cottage cheese once in the past month and they LOVE it!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Imp]

I don't think you are doing anything wrong. It's only a problem if it bothers you.
Here's some info about rough egg shells:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/1/egg-quality-handbook/17/sandpaper-or-rough-shells

Imp

 

[damselfish]

Just wanted to note that where you're saying "protein" in your post, I think you mean calcium. Not trying to be picky at you, but in case somebody else reads this later and gets the wrong idea.

Most likely, you just typed it wrong, which sounds like something I would do.

 

[OhioChickToo]

thank you--I certainly do mean CALCIUM--sadly, my brain is as old as the rest of me!

Thanks for the reassurance--I wasn't sure if it was a problem or not and it seems to come and go so I think I will NOT fret about this, but I appreciate the link!