soft shell egg behavior, why usually evening, and usually outside

[hansolo]

We have two pullets ~ 6.5-7.5 months old.
They both have laid soft shelled eggs.
Does anyone know why soft-shelled usually are laid in the evening vs. normal ones in the morning, and how they know to lay normal eggs in coop but soft-shelled outside?
I have observed them laying both types, seem similar in motion except soft-shelled seemed a lot painful.

 

[Kaeta44]

Some people give their chickens yoghurt or milk to provide more protein in the chickens' diet, which helps them make shells for their eggs. I also give mine crushed oyster shell in their feed. This helps with the digestive process, so that all the goodness in their food goes where it's supposed to go.

The business of laying soft eggs outside in the evening may just be coincidence. Having said that, my Orpie bantam laid an egg which didn't have the normal yolk etc inside, but instead there was something really horrible and yucky. She threw it out of the nest box and broke it open, as if she knew it was "wrong". Maybe your chickens lay their softies outside because they also know they're not as they should be.

http://muckycluckers.blogspot.com/

 

[hansolo]

Your bantam provides an interesting case study.
Yeah I am wondering if other people have similar experience and if there is a correlation. If chicken knows whether her egg is good, that is pretty cool.
I was thinking there is a mechanism where after the shells are deposited, some hormone type of thing is triggered for the egg to be released, and the same hormone causes all other nesting behavior.
Is the bad yolk egg she laid normal shelled?

 

[sherylreno]

It's very normal for this to happen when a pullet starts to lay their eggs. They don't have their egg laying down yet. The sometimes will hold a yolk too long and you will get a double yolk egg or they lay an egg in the morning and then they release a yoke too soon so it doesn't get the full coating of shell on it and they deposit that one at night because they laid one the same day, you can get 2 eggs a day if you live farther North where sunrise is very early and sunset is very late. You may even get a shell less egg as well.

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
I agree. Oyster shells are highly recommended for this.
Mitch

 

[newchknmama]

My girls just started laying a week ago. in 7 days I have found 5 good eggs all in the nesting box 3 soft shelled eggs and 3 no shelled eggs, none of the abnormal ones were in the nesting box. I have found all of them in the early morning either inside the coop, but not the box or outside on the ground in the open. I know my Lt Brahma and my BO are laying, but I don't know if only one is laying the soft/no shelled eggs or if its a combo. It really is frustrating to go looking for an egg and see a nasty gooey yolky mess in there.
edited to say tht I too have oyester shell in ther eand all of them even the young pullets seem to love it.

 

[hansolo]

Quote:
Hey thanks for the interesting data!
Yeah I have found soft-shelled egg under the roost in the early morning, or I caught them laying in the evening soft-shelled eggs, (ouch).

 

[hansolo]

Yep! We've had both and what you said makes sense.
I heard they will lay a little late each day and then if it is too late they skip a day. I wonder if it is similar in mammals like us in terms of ovulation and the correlation with daylights / moon cycle is intriguing.

Quote:

 

[bucky52]

i have had this happened twiced this week i have a wide board under the roostpole.two soft shell eggs on the board and another
one laying on the floor.they are hiding out in their house and are very quiet.i feel is if something has scared them.it is unual for them to be so quiet.they have excess to crushed oyster shells at all times.my husband had seen what looked like rat droppings on the top of the nestbox.very puzzled as what is going on.

 

[mcostas]

I was going to start my own thread on this, maybe I should still. I have 4 laying hens, 3 just started a month or so ago. I have been finding soft shelled eggs (or what's left of them) under their roost. Yesterday I got eggs from all my hens. Today I got eggs from all my hens - plus this soft shelled thing. I've gotten 3 giant eggs too, and at first I thought the giant egg was causing a soft shell egg to be layed next.


The non-soft shell eggs I get from my girls are nice with hard shells, dark yolks, and thick whites. My girls get oyster shell, plus crushed egg shells, plus laying feed and high protein game feed. I don't think it's the nutrision, it seems like I would find them more consistantly.


Is this normal? Everyone seems healthy. I'm afraid of an egg breaking while still inside the hen.