shell-less eggs...

[aardi]

OK, some help here please.

We have a 17 week old EE (Bella) who’s started to lay last week. She started laying on chic crumble (shells very thin), I quickly switched it to layer feed with oyster shells. She (and all) have access to free eat oyster shells in addition to the feed.

They have had this for about a week now, but Bella’s eggs are still very thin on shells, and today’s egg (she’s been laying one daily) was shell-less.

I’ve seen her eating the oyster shells but don’t know what else to do…

How long will it take for her calcium to build up enough so that she has shelled eggs? Is there something that I can do in addition to help up her calcium? Do chickens eat tums?

Ideas and help greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Pic of Bella and her second egg (shell was soft).

 

[math ace]

She has started laying at a YOUNG age. My EE's were the last to start laying. I had 8 EE's and 9 other hens. The EE's started laying after the wyandottes, marans, and leghorns.

Since your girl has figured out how to lay early and she wasn't being supplemented with laying crumbles / calcium . .. . her body may need a little extra time to build up the extra calcium. Several of my new layers start with one or two soft shell eggs during the first week. After that, they do just fine. Occasionally, somebody still throws a soft shelled egg.

I would not worry about it yet. Give her another couple of weeks. Then, if she is still throwing soft shelled eggs on a regular basis - - - there might be a problem.

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Yes, I agree. They're still young. The shells will get stronger with age.

 

[aardi]

Well another day another shell-less egg…

but yesterday I didn’t get there in time and the chickens started eating it… This concerns me as I don’t want them to become egg-eaters…
It’s been just about a week with soft and shell-less eggs. Thoughts? Ideas?
I’m still considering crushing up some tums and putting them in their water.

 

[aardi]

Anyone?...

 

[Tiss]

One of my 22 week RSL laid soft-shelled eggs from the roost every day for the last 5 days. She finally laid another normal one today. Hang in there. I was getting worried too, but it seems to have worked itself out.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

I don't have an answer since I'm very new to getting eggs, but I had the same thing happen this week. I found an egg with no shell on top of the roost. And next to it was a yolk. Just sitting there, all round and yellow. So weird! The shellless egg wasn't broken or anything so I don't know where the yolk came from. I'm hoping it's just an isolated incident since I have no idea which of my 4 laying hens laid it. Hope you get some normal eggs soon!