SOFT EGGS AGAIN

[ShannonR]

They sent me a list of vaccinations before I bought them but I lost it so will email them in the morning for it. Ones I can remember are Egg Drop Syndrome, Infectious Bronchitis, Salmonella, Mycoplasma Gallespticum, Mareks, Peritonitis.

Is this unusual laying behavior why the egg farm passed this bird along to You? How many did you get, and did they cite a reason for culling from their flock?

 

[featheredplanets]

Is this unusual laying behavior why the egg farm passed this bird along to You? How many did you get, and did they cite a reason for culling from their flock?

No. They buy in chicks and raise the pullets. The pullets were 16 weeks when I got them and they keep them in barns until they are sold. It’s a pretty big operation. We don’t have hatcheries like the ones in the US, just pullet rearers like these. Hinchcliffe’s is the biggest one near me. I bought my birds from them because of the vaccination programme, it gives me peace of mind.

Maybe you want to check them out? https://www.hinchliffes.com/Chickens/Our-Rearing-Process/

 

[ShannonR]

That's interesting!

All I can provide is, high producing hens will lots of time have double yolks, or some other glitch in the reproductive system. It is more common in younger hens and can smooth out as the bird ages.

 

[aart]

Some birds are just 'lemons'.
If only one bird in a flock is lying funky eggs,
it's the bird, not the diet or environment.

 

[featheredplanets]

Some birds are just 'lemons'.
If only one bird in a flock is lying funky eggs,
it's the bird, not the diet or environment.

It is just her, the rest of them lay strong shelled eggs, maybe a few calcium spots, have had one double yolker from the Leghorn, but that’s it. I plan on replacing them once they’re 18 months. I can only keep so many chickens and want the most productive.

If she is laying soft shelled eggs without me noticing and the others eat them, will it affect them in any way or cause egg eating (of the normal eggs)?

 

[aart]

If she is laying soft shelled eggs without me noticing and the others eat them, will it affect them in any way or cause egg eating (of the normal eggs)?

IMO soft shelled eggs are fair game for eating,
and it's not likely to turn them into egg eaters.
Makes a nasty mess tho, if you can ID the bird laying them might want to get rid of her.

 

[featheredplanets]

IMO soft shelled eggs are fair game for eating,
and it's not likely to turn them into egg eaters.
Makes a nasty mess tho, if you can ID the bird laying them might want to get rid of her.

It’s my darker red sex link. I would get rid of her but getting a replacement layer is the hard bit. Will look around though. The other day my younger sister picked her up and she pooped a yolk out mid pick up. And every other couple of days I find a papery shell on the coop floor. My mum said, just make sure she has oyster shell, and I honestly see her eating it (they all eat it) but it isn’t helping her.

 

[aart]

I would get rid of her but getting a replacement layer is the hard bit.

2 different issues.
Even if you can't get a replacement, getting rid of a 'troublemaker' is good, IMO.