soft eggs

[dpitts13]

I have white rocks that are 4 months old that started laying , some of the eggs are soft what causees this. and can you have to much shade for the chickens to lay eggs do they need direct sunlight .

 

[Den in Penn]

When they start laying sometimes they lay some soft shells. It can take awhile for it to straighten out. If the birds are outside they will get enough sunlight to produce vitamin D that they need to absorb calcium. Unless you have very deep and complete shade they should be good that way.

 

[OLCHOOK]

Watch a chicken that gets into sunlight after being in shade and see what they do naturally. They sun bake and dustbath. Mine get sun on their backs at least once a day for 2-4 hours and they revel in it.

It's good to do that for them if you are able.

As for the soft eggs, it's probably just the egg laying department settling itself down. On the other hand, their diet may be deficient in calcium so I'd examine their diet for flaws.

I mix my own feed and add a little calcium carbonate into their mash each morning. I regulate the amount by the texture of the egg shells. Smooth means fine, and rough means too much calcium by my rough and ready calculations.

Linz