Soft Eggs even with Oyster Shell

[Sweetpea325]

One of my hens has laid soft shelled eggs for the past 3 days and another hen was egg bound with a soft shell egg last night. I am confused as to why I am having this problem since I have 2 separate dishes full of oyster shell for them to pick from. I feed them Layena Layer pellets, probiotics and vitamins in there water that is cleaned daily, free range in there run all day (with lots of grass and a covered run to get out of sun). I don't know what else to do to give them more calcium. Sometimes I will give them egg shell but this isn't an everyday occurrence. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Kelsie2290]

How old are your birds? Soft or shell-less eggs are usually just a glitch in the egg laying system and they are especially common in new layers or in birds just coming back into lay after a molt etc as as they get into gear. Usually the egg is moving through the system too fast. It is not necessarily related to a lack of calcium as such, it can be related to the bird's ability to use calcium or a defective shell gland. If it is mostly just one bird, I would be inclined to think it is a problem specific to her / her age, and probably not diet/ disease/ disturbances. If they are older and there are multiple birds doing it you probably want to look in to the other diet/ disease causes There is a list of common causes on The Poultry Site ...
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

 

[Sweetpea325]

Both of the hens that laid soft shells including the one that was egg bound with a soft shell last night are around 2.5 years old. All my other laying hens have slowed down in laying but the one's that are consistent haven't had any problems except these two. I'm mostly concerned about the one that was egg bound with the soft shell last night. She was lethargic until she passed the egg. I assumed an egg bound hen meant not enough calcium or a genetic issue but she's never had this problem before.

 

[krista74]

I just found out the other day that some foods can inhibit calcium absorption. I can't remember the full list, but I know spinach was one of them, and too much grain is another. So if you do give treats, maybe try and look them up to check they are not 'bad' re calcium absorption.

I, too, was having a soft shelled egg issue. One of my BO's has consistently laid soft shelled eggs for about four weeks now. After consulting with my vet, I have bought a liquid Calcium/Vitamin D to add to their drinking water. Apparently, without adequate Vitamin D they cannot absorb the calcium either.

I offer grit/shell as well, but I'm yet to see the girls eat any, despite it being out all day and night.

- Krista

 

[K-9Dog]

I have 2 golden comets and they laid well and extra large eggs but 1 of them had the softest shells that always broke and they ate them which is not good or even just touching them to lift gently would break them. both were thin shelled and i would never buy the golden comet/red star type again. the RIR's and the Golden laced wynanottes and the black australorps all have THICK shells,

oh - with oyster shells or not - doesn't make a difference.

 

[aart]

Both of the hens that laid soft shells including the one that was egg bound with a soft shell last night are around 2.5 years old. All my other laying hens have slowed down in laying but the one's that are consistent haven't had any problems except these two. I'm mostly concerned about the one that was egg bound with the soft shell last night. She was lethargic until she passed the egg. I assumed an egg bound hen meant not enough calcium or a genetic issue but she's never had this problem before.

How many hens and what breed?

Higher production birds can slow way down in laying and have problems laying as they age, 2.5 could be the age for them to start shutting down.

 

[Sweetpea325]

In total I have 10 hens and 1 rooster, the one that was egg bound with the soft egg is a White Wyandotte bantam and the other one I am unsure of but is the size of my Red Star but white with yellow legs, was told she's a "hybrid", whatever that means. So when they stop laying, they can have these issues before they are completely done?

 

[Sweetpea325]

I also have them on Avia Charge 2000 (in there drinking water) I assumed this would give them adequate amounts of Vitamin D to help with the oyster shell