Soft shell egg

[Cmp211]

Our first soft shell egg. The girls are very new to laying. Is that the reason or do they need more calcium? I feed them a all flock feed with oyster shell available

 

[Mother of Chaos]

View attachment 4189010Our first soft shell egg. The girls are very new to laying. Is that the reason or do they need more calcium? I feed them a all flock feed with oyster shell available

It’s common with new layers while they get their complicated egglaying systems coordinated. If it keeps happening, you might want to crush saved eggshells and sprinkle them on the ground where they hang out - the novelty often intrigues them and gets them eating. Otherwise, add to your oyster shell feeder.

If it seems like just one bird and happens repeatedly, you can try directly supplementing her with a human calcium citrate + vitamin D tablet.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I feed them a all flock feed with oyster shell available

As do many of us.

Our first soft shell egg. The girls are very new to laying. Is that the reason or do they need more calcium?

The process of putting an egg together in the pullet's or hen's internal egg making factory is pretty complex. It is not unusual for an older experienced layer to have an oops. As long as it is an exception it is not a big deal. I figure we are all allowed an occasional oops as long as we don't make a habit of it.

Sometimes it takes a pullet just starting to lay a few days to work out the bugs in her internal factory. Soft shelled or no-shelled eggs, double yolkers, no yolkers, no whites, two eggs in one day, eggs laid from the roosts, or something really weird can happen. Typically they straighten this out in a few days. If it clears up within two weeks I consider it start-up issues and don't worry about it. If it lasts more than a couple of weeks get back with us and we can discuss it.