Soft Eggs, then middle of the night eggs and now hard and stuck

[UrbanHomesteadMama]

Hi All, my cream legbar has had all sorts of egg problems. She began laying and everything was normal for about a month then the quality of the eggs declined. Most were soft or semi soft breaking when I took them out of the box. She then started having them get stuck. She had two soft eggs get stuck- I did the whole soaking in epson salt, lube her vent and then calcium supplement. Both came out then she started laying off the roost overnight and her eggs were rough like sandpaper. Then she stopped laying all together. I thought maybe things were becoming more normal with the calcium supplements and left her alone. Then a week later she starting showing signs of being stuck again walking really upright with a little bit of a waddle, paler comb, pulsing butt, and laying down a lot. She’s always been eating the whole time though. I did the bath routine again and nothing happened. Now it’s been over two weeks I’ve done the bath a couple more times and still nothing has come out. Shes still walking kind of upright and pushing throughout the day but still eating a little and pooping. I’m kind of at my wits end over here... also they have oyster shells in the run and also in their food. Thanks for reading this lengthy message!

 

[PeppersPeeps]

My Easter egger is having the exact same problem. Without forcing a calcium supplement down her throat, she lays soft eggs anywhere they fall out. With the calcium, she lays huge misshapen eggs.

What feed do you use? I use Nutreena Layer Pellets and have oyster shells available.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hi All, my cream legbar has had all sorts of egg problems. She began laying and everything was normal for about a month then the quality of the eggs declined. Most were soft or semi soft breaking when I took them out of the box. She then started having them get stuck. She had two soft eggs get stuck- I did the whole soaking in epson salt, lube her vent and then calcium supplement. Both came out then she started laying off the roost overnight and her eggs were rough like sandpaper. Then she stopped laying all together. I thought maybe things were becoming more normal with the calcium supplements and left her alone. Then a week later she starting showing signs of being stuck again walking really upright with a little bit of a waddle, paler comb, pulsing butt, and laying down a lot. She’s always been eating the whole time though. I did the bath routine again and nothing happened. Now it’s been over two weeks I’ve done the bath a couple more times and still nothing has come out. Shes still walking kind of upright and pushing throughout the day but still eating a little and pooping. I’m kind of at my wits end over here... also they have oyster shells in the run and also in their food. Thanks for reading this lengthy message!

I had a chicken do that for the very first 6 months or so that she laid and it happened regularly, thought I might lose her due to infection or something. I was constantly giving her calcium In the form of Tums, breaking them up and making her eat them. I noticed she would not eat the Oystershell out of the bowl and neither would my others, but since I started just throwing it on the ground they all eat it before they go to bed and now all of them seem to be laying normal eggs. Try just throwing that calcium on the ground and see if that makes a difference. I would also recommend giving her some Tums at the moment and seeing if it helps or expel the egg.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Do you feel a stuck egg? Poor thing can't feel too well, I'm sure.

And is her abdomen swollen at all?

And how old is she? Like SurferchickinSB says, new layers have lots of glitches in the system to work out sometimes.

 

[aart]

also they have oyster shells in the run and also in their food.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?
Not a good idea to put the OS in the feed, better in a separate container.
Any other birds having 'egg trouble'.

 

[Petersinek]

So, can anyone enlighten me on the issue of laying soft shelled eggs? Only one of my 12 seem to be having this issue though? Is it purely calcium deficiency?

 

[Aunt Angus]

So, can anyone enlighten me on the issue of laying soft shelled eggs? Only one of my 12 seem to be having this issue though? Is it purely calcium deficiency?

It can be related to stress and other reproductive issues, from what I have researched. But calcium deficiency is an easy fix and pretty common, so I think it's best to start there. New layers can do lay soft eggs, too, while they are working out the kinks, so to speak.

 

[aart]

So, can anyone enlighten me on the issue of laying soft shelled eggs? Only one of my 12 seem to be having this issue though? Is it purely calcium deficiency?

If only one bird is laying funky eggs.... it's likely not the diet, but the bird.
Bird may be stressed, or may not process calcium properly, or have a wonky shell gland due to anatomical abnormalities.