Soft shell egg on one end

[chixrus2013]

What breed is she? It sounds like a production breed if she is laying everyday. Did she ever lay normal eggs? Adding oyster shells or egg shells to their diet can't hurt, and is something you can try.

Some hens just have defects in eggs, too. Some people cull, some people deal with it, but lets try to see if we can fix it first.

Well actually I’m not positive which one it is because I have two that lay the dark brown eggs and I thought it was the Welsummer laying these but it could be my French blue copper Maran. She doesn’t lay one every single day. Probably 5 a week? They are both a year old and she was laying totally normal eggs till about a few weeks ago. I thought of molting but the only place my welsummer is missing feathers is along her neck bone. It’s weird. No other feather loss so far

 

[chixrus2013]

Well actually I’m not positive which one it is because I have two that lay the dark brown eggs and I thought it was the Welsummer laying these but it could be my French blue copper Maran. She doesn’t lay one every single day. Probably 5 a week? They are both a year old and she was laying totally normal eggs till about a few weeks ago. I thought of molting but the only place my welsummer is missing feathers is along her neck bone. It’s weird. No other feather loss so far

I’m worried that it will create some egg eaters because several of the eggs have been crushed in the nesting box before we get to them. Sometimes shells have been eaten and sometimes not. The soft end is easily crushable. The other end seems normally hard

 

[Saveria]

That does sound super bizarre. There is a ton of info on egg eating on here, here is one thread from yesterday.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chickens-keep-eating-their-eggs-what-do-i-do.1529514/

I would also implement all the other advise from the folks who wrote here. Give it a week or so and let us know if there is any change.

 

[Yardmom]

Add calcium (extra egg shells beyond what your birds lay or oyster shells) to the whole flock as well as making sure your main feed has a good amount of protein more than 16 percent. This should help curve the possibility of true egg eaters. Remember it is normal for them to eat eggs that have already broken. Did she lay all winter? If so hopefully she is just going into early molt. I have seen eggs similar during early molt. After a laying break the eggs were fine. As others have said get her extra calcium for a few weeks to see if the problem is solved. (Do for both birds if unsure which one.) Hopefully the calcium is all she needs.

 

[chixrus2013]

That does sound super bizarre. There is a ton of info on egg eating on here, here is one thread from yesterday.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chickens-keep-eating-their-eggs-what-do-i-do.1529514/

I would also implement all the other advise from the folks who wrote here. Give it a week or so and let us know if there is any change.

Thanks Saveria. I have already implemented one of the egg eater suggestions by putting “curtains” up on the nesting boxes so that it’s darker in there and will discourage the viewing is a cracked egg. Yesterday there was a cracked egg in the box but the whole shell was still there so none of them ate it. Hopeful on that part. I’m also going to start using eggshells for their calcium which I read is absorbed quicker than other forms. But I’m going to bow and then crush really small so that hopefully they don’t recognize as egg. What are your thoughts on that? I’m thinking it may not be a calcium issue since the whole shell is not soft and it’s also discolored as well

 

[chixrus2013]

Add calcium (extra egg shells beyond what your birds lay or oyster shells) to the whole flock as well as making sure your main feed has a good amount of protein more than 16 percent. This should help curve the possibility of true egg eaters. Remember it is normal for them to eat eggs that have already broken. Did she lay all winter? If so hopefully she is just going into early molt. I have seen eggs similar during early molt. After a laying break the eggs were fine. As others have said get her extra calcium for a few weeks to see if the problem is solved. (Do for both birds if unsure which one.) Hopefully the calcium is all she needs.

Thanks Yardmom. I’m going to start doing that with eggshell today. Yes she did lay all winter.

 

[Folly's place]

Years ago there was data stating that ground egg shell, eaten during the day, were no longer available in the early morning hours when the shell is formed in the oviduct. I don't know if that's been refuted, or true. So oyster shell is still your best addition to her diet.
Mary

 

[RosaArvensis]

Did this ever get resolved? I am having the same problem with one of my hens.