Soft or no shell eggs, new layer

[QueenLottie]

Good morning!

My ISA Gold star (almost 4 mo) just laid her first egg yesterday and as far as I can tell it's very normal! I went out there this morning and there's yolk and a shrivelled shell skin in her box and a whole soft shell outside. I offer them grit and until a week ago I had them on chick feed and just started incorporating layer feed. What am I missing? I will crack her other egg and dry the shell to give them.

Update: her first shell was very strong! It had two little yolks in it.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I have ducks not chickens but I provide crushed oyster shells for the extra calcium
I have one girl out of 4 who lays a soft shell here and there
You can also crush up the egg shells and give it to her to eat
I just use a side dish for this and they eat as they need to

 

[QueenLottie]

I have ducks not chickens but I provide crushed oyster shells for the extra calcium
I have one girl out of 4 who lays a soft shell here and there
You can also crush up the egg shells and give it to her to eat
I just use a side dish for this and they eat as they need to

Do you have to dry them first? I plan on doing that for sure!

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Do you have to dry them first? I plan on doing that for sure!

I don’t think so
@Miss Lydia May have some tips on that. She has chickens

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just crush up egg shells after I steam the eggs and offer that way I also put out oyster shell in a separate dish from their feed so they have access all the time.
It's pretty normal for them to lay soft shells when they first start and even double yolks so unless this keeps up I wouldn't worry. Once their bodies work out the kinks of just beginning to lay. They will most likely lay normal. I would get them oyster shells along with feeding layer. My girls eat layer and still eat oyster shell like it is candy. So they know when they need it.

 

[RobochickofLubbock]

Good morning!

My ISA Gold star (almost 4 mo) just laid her first egg yesterday and as far as I can tell it's very normal! I went out there this morning and there's yolk and a shrivelled shell skin in her box and a whole soft shell outside. I offer them grit and until a week ago I had them on chick feed and just started incorporating layer feed. What am I missing? I will crack her other egg and dry the shell to give them.

Update: her first shell was very strong! It had two little yolks in it.

Oh wow, I have Gold Stars ( 10-11weeks old ) myself. This is interesting to read and learn especially since we have the same type. Following........

 

[QueenLottie]

Oh wow, I have Gold Stars ( 10-11weeks old ) myself. This is interesting to read and learn especially since we have the same type. Following........

Update: everything seems to have normalized! She now has the strongest egg shells of them all and still sometimes lays double yolked ones but those have slowed down too. All is well and she's still my favorite lady.