Shell-less Eggs 3x in a day!!!

[k5crew]

one of my girls is having a problem!!! She is a 23 week old Buff Orpington and started laying about 2 weeks ago. Her first few eggs were beautiful, the shells felt gritty (not smooth) but we're otherwise great. Then a soft shell, 2 days later shell-less, next day again no shell. I changed food last week and the girls hated it! So I now have then on a high quality food with plenty of calcium, crushes shells are always available too. I have 8 other girls laying with nice thick shells.

Here is what worries me: Yesterday she made a weird noise and when my daughter picked he up a shell-less egg dropped out. Then this morning we found 3 eggs on the coop floor ( no pics, my sweet daughter cleaned then up before the girls got to them) 2 were shell-less and one soft shelled.

She looks worn out (Duh) and I'm concerned. Any advice?

Pic is a membrane, little piece of soft shell and gritty shell. Yes I am saving everything!!!

 

[GitaBooks]

Do you have a light in their coop? Sometimes pullets just lay a lot of eggs while they are getting the hang of things, but it sounds like she is laying too many!
Give her some scrambled eggs with ground shell in them so she gets needed nutrients. If she continues laying too many eggs, move her to a dark room for a few days to break her cycle and let her start over fresh.

Best of luck!

 

[k5crew]

No lighti in the coop, but there is a large window. I can cover it for now and see if that will help

 

[GitaBooks]

No lighti in the coop, but there is a large window. I can cover it for now and see if that will help

You don't need to cover the window. Natural light shouldn't be causing the problem. We had hens lay two eggs in a day with artificial light, which is why I asked.

 

[aart]

It could just be an overactive(very) hormonal system since she new to laying.
I would keep her quiet with just balanced feed and clean water and observe closely.

 

[barneveldrerman]

Are you giving her any calcium?

 

[k5crew]

Update: I changed the feed and started. Chasing the young roo away from my sweet girl. Eggs have gone back to large, thick shell!!! Thanks, as always, for advice.