Soft Shell Eggs

[Peytonandpancakes]

Hello
I’m 1 year new to the backyard chicken experience.
We have 5 young hens that are all beginning to lay at the same time. We also have 4 that have already been laying.
I have found the leftovers of 2 eggs (only the white and a a little yolk), 1 I found the soft egg broken and just now, a whole soft egg.
I don’t know if it’s the young ones for sure, but am assuming it’s them bc my older girls haven’t had any problems with soft shell eggs.
I read that it’s ok to dry eggshells in the sun and give it to the girls. They like this a lot, but I also read this can encourage them to eat their own eggs. The oyster shell granules I’ve gotten are big and they don’t like them.
what else can I give them to increase their calcium that they will like? Will laying these eggs hurt them if it continues?
They eat organic laying granule and free range in our yard. They also get scraps and I give them corn, blueberries, pasta, dried mealworms, scratch and various other snacks, veggies and fruit. Basically whatever they like except meat.
All advice is appreciated
Thank you

 

[Perris]

hello @Peytonandpancakes - welcome to BYC
If they have a layer granule, then that includes calcium. With all the other goodies and free-ranging I would guess there are no deficiencies in their diet. So it is likely just the new girls' plumbing getting kinks out of the system, as you thought.
If you still want to offer more calcium, yogurt (plain, natural) is a quick fix. They also need vitamin d to metabolize the calcium, and that can be supplied easily via cod liver oil.
Good luck!

 

[aart]

They eat organic laying granule and free range in our yard. They also get scraps and I give them corn, blueberries, pasta, dried mealworms, scratch and various other snacks, veggies and fruit. Basically whatever they like except meat.
All advice is appreciated

Cut out everything but the laying granules for couple weeks...see if there's an improvement.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I read that it’s ok to dry eggshells in the sun and give it to the girls. They like this a lot, but I also read this can encourage them to eat their own eggs. The oyster shell granules I’ve gotten are big and they don’t like them.

If the eggshells are smashed up they shouldn't recognize them as eggs. If the oyster is too big for their liking, you can smash that up too... preferable for oyster to be in large flake but if they don't want to eat it, then powderized is better than nothing.

Cut out everything but the laying granules for couple weeks...see if there's an improvement.

x2

 

[Peytonandpancakes]

Cut out everything but the laying granules for couple weeks...see if there's an improvement.

Cut out veggies, fruits and mealworms as well?
Thank you for your reply

 

[Peytonandpancakes]

hello @Peytonandpancakes - welcome to BYC
If they have a layer granule, then that includes calcium. With all the other goodies and free-ranging I would guess there are no deficiencies in their diet. So it is likely just the new girls' plumbing getting kinks out of the system, as you thought.
If you still want to offer more calcium, yogurt (plain, natural) is a quick fix. They also need vitamin d to metabolize the calcium, and that can be supplied easily via cod liver oil.
Good luck!

How do I offer Cod Liver Oil?
Thank you so much

 

[Perris]

How do I offer Cod Liver Oil?

a spoonful/capsule opened and mixed in with their feed works for me. Good luck!

 

[aart]

Cut out veggies, fruits and mealworms as well?
Thank you for your reply

Yes, layer feed is supposed to be the 'sole feed', probably says so on the bag(fine print).
All that other stuff is diluting the nutrition in the feed.

 

[KaceyBG]

I grind oyster shell and egg shells and mix it into a big bucket that is mostly layer feed, but I mix in wheat berries, barley, sunflower seeds, garlic powder, pea powder, and meal worms. I also give them a small bowl of cottage cheese twice a week. I get large hard eggs almost daily from my Rhode Island reds, and 2-3 a week from my bantams and silkies. Only have gotten a few soft shelled eggs when a pullet begins laying. Usually regulates in 4-6 weeks. Sprouting grains is a super food for your ladies. There are plenty of sites explaining what and how to start. I sprout field peas, barley and wheat. Only takes a few days and the gobble it up. Great option to keep them laying during the winter when foraging for greens is scarce.