SOFT SHELLED EGGS

Robin D

Hatching
6 Years
Oct 2, 2013
3
0
7
When I first got my pullets, within the first couple of days, in the morning when I let them out, I noticed 3 streams of blood, that appeared to have shot out of a buttocks of one of my hens. The bleeding continued for a couple of days then stopped. I called everyone I knew about bleeding hens, but no one knew the answer. The hens (8 of them) are all approx. 7 months old right now and there are 7 who lay. I continually had one, who laid soft shells. Well, the other day, she was out in the chicken run, and blatantly laid two soft shelled, one right after the other. The other hens ate her egg as quickly as it fell. I put a pink mark on her back to keep an eye on her. I have put two and two together, and can only assume that somehow she is the one who bled so badly in the hen house. I keep trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, awaiting a hard shell....but it seems she won't ever lay and egg that is normal. She lays her eggs (all soft) at the strangest times too. Like dusk and night time. I find them splattered on the wall in the hen house. Please, is there anyone out there who can tell me what they think about this hen and what should I do with her? I have been watching her closely and all else seems fine with her. All of the chickens eat well , have clean water everyday and eat a substantial amount of oyster shells. HELP!!!!! THANKS.........ROBIN
 
Shell less eggs are pretty common as pullets start to lay. They are just a glitch in the egg laying system and it usually works itself out in a couple of weeks or months. Some hens though have problems with their shell gland, and they will never lay regular eggs, those you are usually best of culling since they usually wind up with internal laying / peritonitis.
This is The Poultry Sites page to shell less eggs.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs
 
thank you so much for your reply. I am truly at my wits end on what to do with her. I think perhaps I will keep her through winter for the added warmth in the hen house. I think in my heart that is an adequate amount of time to give her. If she continues to lay soft eggs, I shall consider a more severe measure, I just hate to do anything to her...(I am a softy and I actually love my girls!! :( )
thanks again!! and oh my!! what a great web site!! thanks againnnnnnnnnnnnnn
 
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Hope your girl gets it together. I would think that a couple of months would certainly be enough time for her to straighten out if she is going to. As long as she hasn't develop problems related to it, there is really no specific need to cull her at a particular time unless you need to replace her with a girl that would lay useful eggs. Hate making those kind of decisions on birds that are pets to a large extent. One thing I don't like about it is if they lay shell less eggs, they will sometimes have part of the egg hanging if it broke, and I think that can lead to vent picking by the other hens who have figured out that those shell less eggs are good to eat, so do keep an eye on her for that.
 
There seems to be a bit of that going on already ...much to my dismay. When she was out in the yard...laying her soft eggs...as soon as they hit the ground....the other hens ate them up! Strange happenings with her. I have a total of 23 chickens...6 which are only 2 months old..they were given to me by a neighbor,which included the Mom of the chicks. So I am not hurting for eggs at all that is why I don't need to do anything with Mrs. Softy....(as I call her). She is sweet but that is her only attribute thus far. Thanks for communicating with me on this...you are the only help I got about this!! xxoo
 

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