Soft shell

[bluetrain]

Our 20 week old White Rocks (9) are beginning to lay (well 6 of the 9 so far) and we have 1 (we think just one) that we have found her eggs are always a very soft shell. The first two times the eggs were torn (?) open and I cleaned up the mess but my wife said she collected one today that was soft but whole. All the others seem to be doing ok; their shells are fine. We feed them oyster shell with the scratch but not always with the laying mash (crumbles). Do we need to be doing something different? Do you think it is just one of our girls might have some sort of 'issue'?

Thanks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This site gives a summary of reasons eggs may have soft shells. Soft shelled eggs are not that unusual with hens when they first start to lay. Their laying factory needs to work out the kinks. If this lasts for two weeks, I'd think the problem is something else.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

 

[chookchick]

I would just put out a dish of oyster shell, so they can have it whenever they want. Be sure and clean up any soft eggs, so they don't get in the habit of eating them--I think that is what is going on with my young pullets and it is a pain. Do they also get greens, or free-range time?

 

[al6517]

It is fairly common in young layers and should go away over a short time.

AL

 

[Branderella]

I keep a bowl of oyster shell in the coop always so my girls can decided when to eat it themselves

 

[bluetrain]

Thanks for the replies.