soft shell eggs

[tetley2003]

that is encouraging.......thank you.
2 hens lay in the nesting box fine and the 3rd hen I think is slightly younger so my guess is it is her getting alittle mixed up.
Just now I looked in on them and the 'problem' one was in nesting box with another hen and although she didn't lay the other one did so maybe she was getting a few lessons lol.
thank you again

 

[fionamcc]

Hi, I am in the same position as you. Just got three rescue hens a month ago. While they are laying 2-3 eggs a day, some are rough shelled, a couple of times I have had a no shell at all, but also some beauties being laid. They are well fed and watered. The one that is having the problem laying also roosts in the nesting box overnight. But hey as others are saying i am just watching and waiting as they are healthy and happy. I live in the Scottish Borders, so like you having a heat wave.

 

[BertandMary]

Just try to gather the soft shelled eggs before a curious hen pecks at it and discovers the joy of raw eggs. I agree with all the advice above. Congrats on getting well formed eggs.

 

[tetley2003]

Just a quick update........I am now getting 3 good shelled eggs from my 3 hens every day. Things are going so well we are thinking about getting 3 more girls.
Question......any tips about introducing new birds to my already happy chickens?

 

[chickensnewtome]

On the introduction of new chickens: I would get a seperate brood box or cage that you can put in the pen with your existing birds so they can see each other, then over time slowly introduce them for a couple minutes at a time.

 

[whitt910]

I have had this problem too. From what I have read from Storey's Guide To Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow who is like the chicken god it's normal when they first start to lay. My hens have had lay ration and oyster shell for about a month or so now and when some of them started to lay especially the Rhode Island Reds they had soft shells. I just picked them up the best I could so the hens that get a taste for egg. It should normalize, but if it doesn't maybe it is something else. I won't worry too much at this point. Plus things like heat can make weird eggs.

I would suggest getting the Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens because whatever question you have it's in there I promise. It goes from hatching all the way to death and how to dispatch and butcher the hen if you want to eat it. The best book ever. I had a question about double yolkers and it was in there.. A good reference guide!

 

[3dogcp]

I have 2 Dominiques and one started laying soft shelled eggs at night under roosting bar. She 7 months old and had been laying perfect pullet eggs for a month. I also had a RRed that was laying soft shelled eggs and got sick, egg peritonitis, I think and had to be put down. This problem isn't contagious is it? They get layer feed, oyster shell and grit. Any ideas anyone?