Shell less eggs for 5 months now...

[Soltano]

Hi! My two year old Red Star has been laying shell less eggs for 5 months about every other day. She seems healthy and unbothered by it and lives with 3 of her “sisters”. Sometimes she lays a really weird looking egg that looks just terrible and she acts very somber and doesn’t move around much before she lays that one but that’s about once a month. Is it ok for her to continue like this? Anything that can be given to her to make her stop laying and just be a happy little backyard free range chicken eating and poopin’ with the rest of them? They’re on a layer feed and get oyster shell for extra calcium since I thought that may be her issue. Help! Thanks! Olivia.

 

[feathermaid]

Hi! My two year old Red Star has been laying shell less eggs for 5 months about every other day. She seems healthy and unbothered by it and lives with 3 of her “sisters”. Sometimes she lays a really weird looking egg that looks just terrible and she acts very somber and doesn’t move around much before she lays that one but that’s about once a month. Is it ok for her to continue like this? Anything that can be given to her to make her stop laying and just be a happy little backyard free range chicken eating and poopin’ with the rest of them? They’re on a layer feed and get oyster shell for extra calcium since I thought that may be her issue. Help! Thanks! Olivia.

Oh, that seems like a long time to be laying soft shells continuously. If this issue isn't happening with your other birds, then it's probably not diet related. High production hybrids are the most susceptible to reproductive disorders. It sounds like her shell gland may somehow be damaged or her body is unable to absorb calcium properly.

Lupron injections are available that can stop egg laying but need to be administered every few months, or maybe Suprelorin implants would last longer. You definitely need to know an avian vet in your area. I don't know if soft shelled eggs are severe enough to qualify for something as drastic as spaying, which is very uncommon and expensive, but that could be done as well, depending on your budget.

Here are some threads that explain how other hens have been helped by such treatments or surgery:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/lupron-hormone-injection-for-ascites.1175850/

https://www.meetup.com/Los-Angeles-Urban-Chicken-Enthusiasts/boards/thread/44438832/0/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/any-luck-with-surgery.1284583/