Soft shell eggs

[Gaynor72]

Hi everyone. I’m hoping someone can help me with this.
We have 2 hens who were laying perfect eggs up to one having a molt.They are both about 2 year old now.
The one that had the molt continues to lay almost every day but the warren hasn’t layed in 4 months. I’ve tried calcium enriched vitamins and oyster shell. They eat a layered pellet and scraps from us - as well as having the run of the back garden. She isn’t showing any signs of illness and looks perfectly healthy!
Thanks in advance.

 

[featheredplanets]

I would stop the scraps and any treats. Increase protein to 18/20%, provide free choice oyster shell. What protein are they on at the moment?

 

[Muscoweewee]

Try giving more different sources of calcium - maybe crushed. Have they been eating a decent amount of the calcium you give them? If they haven't, tone down a bit on the treats.

 

[aart]

Hi everyone. I’m hoping someone can help me with this.
We have 2 hens who were laying perfect eggs up to one having a manly. They are both about 2 year old now.
The one that has the mault continues to lay almost every day but the warren hasn’t layed in 4 months. I’ve tried calcium enriched vitamins and oyster shell. They eat a layered pellet and scraps from us - as well as having the run of the back garden. She isn’t showing any signs of illness and looks perfectly healthy!
Thanks in advance.

Welcome to BYC!

The bolded terms in your quoted post, are confusing, probably typos but please correct them. Not sure if it's a softshell problem as title implies....
.....or a not laying problem specified in your post.

Agrees with this.....

I would stop the scraps and any treats. Increase protein to 18/20%, provide free choice oyster shell. What protein are they on at the moment?

Knowing where you're located would help too.


If it's a not laying problem,
you can examine her to find out if she's laying or not...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/
......if the exam tells you she is laying, you might need to lock her up for a time.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[Gaynor72]

Thanks for your replies. It’s a soft shell problem and she’s only laying about 1-2 per week.
I’m not sure what percentage of protein the pellets have as I threw away the wrapping. I will try a new pellet with a good amount of protein and stop giving them our leftovers.
I think the shell we have is mixed shell - it doesn’t look like oyster shell as it said it was when I bought it but a cheaper version. Do you think this could be the problem?