Series of soft-shelled eggs

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

We’ve had a series of soft shell eggs (probably around 5 total in the past month for a daily layer). A couple recently have broken when carrying them too and in hindsight those might have been more flimsy. I just didn’t note which hen produced them.

A few details:
- Young-ish layer, about 7 months into laying
- Bantam Brahma
- Overall healthy, no changed in behavior, appearance, or diet
- Limited treats, they get herbs and sometimes cracked corn/mealworms to get them back in the coop. Free range for a few hours a day
- Eat Scratch and Peck layer feed
- Always has supplemental oyster shell, often baked egg shells too. I hand fed her some two days ago even.

Thanks in advance for any insights! I might go ahead and try a calcium supplement, but I also don't want to be overlooking disease or illness in the meantime.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

Hmm she seems to have a great diet. It could just be her age or the change in seasons

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Is definitely sounds like a calcium deficiency, whether it be her genetics, health, or environmental. Do you notice her actually eating the oyster shells? What brand of feed is it and how much calcium is in it?

 

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Is definitely sounds like a calcium deficiency, whether it be her genetics, health, or environmental. Do you notice her actually eating the oyster shells? What brand of feed is it and how much calcium is in it?

It says calcium between 3.75-4.75%. I hand fed her some shells the other day and she ate them, but don't really see her picking through much otherwise.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Does it measure the calcium in grams? It typically uses about 2 grams of calcium to make an egg. However, you want about double that in a feed because only about half of the feed calcium will actually go to the egg production. Hens with deficiency issues typically need more than that.

 

[HenLuv]

My year-old girls have recently had that, too. To be on the safe side, I gave them crushed eggshells. I can't say for certain, but I suspect that those soft eggs might involve the hormones of young layers and the onset of their first spring as adults. It could also have something to do with the changing of seasons and how that affects their foraging diet. I guess it depends on where you are and what your weather is like, but we had an unusually harsh winter here, and when it was over, Boom! green everywhere. My girls had a bit of runny poo as well.
No matter what the cause, supplying the crushed shells seemed to help. I also made sure to feed them fewer treats and more good stuff, adding in some vitamins. Their eggs were back to normal in no time at all.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you ferment or serve wet, the Scratch & Peck? Reason I'm asking is the calcium is in the powdery fines, so if you're feeding it dry, the birds are likely not getting the full 4% that's on the label.

 

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Do you ferment or serve wet, the Scratch & Peck? Reason I'm asking is the calcium is in the powdery fines, so if you're feeding it dry, the birds are likely not getting the full 4% that's on the label.

That’s exactly what I think is happening. Bought some pellets tonight so I’ll start to transition them onto that. I’ll probably look into fermenting as well. I’ve been meaning to for awhile but haven’t taken the plunge.

 

[aart]

Do you ferment or serve wet, the Scratch & Peck? Reason I'm asking is the calcium is in the powdery fines, so if you're feeding it dry, the birds are likely not getting the full 4% that's on the label.

That's what I was going to suggest, if the feed is a cracked grain formulation.

Bought some pellets tonight so I’ll start to transition them onto that.

Might want to cut out the other goodies too, for a week or two.