Soft shell eggs

[Hannah2911]

I have a pullet/hen that is about 7-8 months old. Her first egg was soft shell and she laid two soft shells in the same day. Then she’s laid the first time the first week of October. She’s laid multiple double yolks since then and some normal. She’s also had soft shells 3-4 times since first laying. All times she lays soft there are two. I have her on 17% nutrena layer feed. They get mealworms and sometimes scratch and sometimes

lettuce for treats. They have oyster shells in a separate feeder. I also mix some calcium powder to add to feed. I’ll add a pic of that. I really can’t imagine her issue being lacking calcium. I check them and their area for buggies regularly. No worms seen in any poop. All poo is normal. Behavior is normal unless she’s laying a soft shell. It takes longer and she seems miserable for a couple hours until she passes it and then back to normal. In their water I add electrolytes and vitamins. I don’t know if she just has a birth defect or something? If anyone has any advice or feedback I’d love to hear it me and sweet Iris thank you in advance

 

[DemeterAD9]

How long has she been laying? I've had a few pullets go through the same thing this year, soft shelled, thin shells, just the membrane and even just the white and yolk with nothing to contain it. Luckily those 2 or 3 girls worked it out and are now laying normally but it did take a few weeks. I even had 2 other pullets consistently laying double and even triple yolks but thankfully for them they are now laying a normal single yolk egg.

Sometimes it just takes them a while to get their reproductive system in working order. You'll see double yolks and funky shells most often in new layers or old girls slowing down on egg production.

 

[BDutch]

I don’t know if she just has a birth defect or something? If anyone has any advice or feedback I’d love to hear it me and sweet Iris thank you in advance

I hope Demeter is right and she starts to lay normal eggs soon.

You are right about the calcium. With layer feed and oyster shell on the side she can eat enough calcium.

Another possibility could be that these problems are caused by inbreeding. Is her breed some sort of a layer hybrid? Or did you get her from a large commercial hatchery?

 

[Hannah2911]

How long has she been laying? I've had a few pullets go through the same thing this year, soft shelled, thin shells, just the membrane and even just the white and yolk with nothing to contain it. Luckily those 2 or 3 girls worked it out and are now laying normally but it did take a few weeks. I even had 2 other pullets consistently laying double and even triple yolks but thankfully for them they are now laying a normal single yolk egg.

Sometimes it just takes them a while to get their reproductive system in working order. You'll see double yolks and funky shells most often in new layers or old girls slowing down on egg production.

She’s been laying 8-10 weeks. I didn’t know how long it takes to work it out. My hope is that it can take that long and eventually she will not have this regularly

 

[Hannah2911]

I hope Demeter is right and she starts to lay normal eggs soon.

You are right about the calcium. With layer feed and oyster shell on the side she can eat enough calcium.

Another possibility could be that these problems are caused by inbreeding. Is her breed some sort of a layer hybrid? Or did you get her from a large commercial hatchery?

I got her at a local farm store as an Easter egger so I guess that is possible

 

[rosemarythyme]

She is still a young layer so I'd expect her to eventually regulate her laying.

This isn't what you're asking about but I'd caution some of the additives you're using. You're already using layer feed so I would not add extra calcium to their feed, as they have no way of avoiding it.

Electrolytes are not meant for regular usage and vitamins can also be problematic with overuse, since like calcium not all of them can easily be passed from the body. If you're using a commercial feed it is already formulated to meet their nutritional needs.

 

[Hannah2911]

She is still a young layer so I'd expect her to eventually regulate her laying.

This isn't what you're asking about but I'd caution some of the additives you're using. You're already using layer feed so I would not add extra calcium to their feed, as they have no way of avoiding it.

Electrolytes are not meant for regular usage and vitamins can also be problematic with overuse, since like calcium not all of them can easily be passed from the body. If you're using a commercial feed it is already formulated to meet their nutritional needs.

That is good advice and I’ll stop adding to their feed. I don’t add the supplements every time I water but maybe every 3-4 time I change water. They have a big waterer and I change it every 1-2 weeks.