Soft Shells??

[Chold05]

Averaging one soft shell a week with ISA Brown pulletss that have been laying about three months. It sounds like all of them normally lay eggs with good shells but I have a question about that. Does one typically lay a thin-shelled egg, just not soft? What shape are the other eggs in?

ISA Browns are commercial egg-laying hybrids especially bred to lay a lot of decent sized eggs with a good feed to egg conversion ratio. They are egg laying specialists but that system can be a bit delicate. They are more prone to egg laying issues than our normal dual purpose hens. When I have this type of issue I like to figure out if it is an individual hen issue or a flockwide problem. That's why I'm asking about the other egg shells. I would not want to mess up the other hens if they are doing OK.


Aart asked a good question. How are you offering them?



If all the egg shells are thin then you have a systemwide problem. The flock is not getting enough calcium. Some hens process calcium a little differently than others. If the calcium intake is close to not enough maybe that difference is enough to cause this.

Sometimes that poor processing means a problem in the shell gland. It just doesn't work the way it is supposed to. If one pullet regularly produces thins shells compared to the others then it's probably an individual pullet problem.

Occasionally a hen or pullet accidentally releases two yolks a day instead of just one a day. If they are released at the same time you can get double yolked eggs. Are you seeing many double yolked eggs? If those yolks are released at separate times a hen can lay two eggs in one day. A hen usually produces a set amount of shell material in a day. If she lays a double yolked egg the shell might be a bit thin because it has to cover more volume. If she lays two in a day that shell material may be used on the first egg with none or not much left for the second. Commercial egg laying hybrids like ISA Browns have a finely tuned internal egg making factory. They can be prone to releasing two yolks in a day. This does not mean they all do, but that they are a bit more finely tuned than most dual purpose hens. Some dual purpose hens do this too.

The way the egg is put together it spends many hours in the shell gland where the shell is laid on. If something triggers the pullet or hen to lay the egg way early it could be shell-less or really thin-shelled.

Pullets just starting to lay are more prone to this type of glitch but yours have been laying for three months. They should be over those start-up glitches.

I'm not that concerned over an occasional glitch. I have enough "oops" moments myself that I can feel some sympathy. Once a week is getting kind of consistent though. You may have a pullet with a problem. It's probably an individual chicken problem, not a flockwide problem but I don't know that. Figuring out which one is doing it can be a real pain too.

I don't know if this helps or not. Good luck figuring it out.

My 1 year old ISA brown just started doing the same thing. This is her 3rd soft shell egg in a month. She's laid 2 eggs each time. I offer free choice oyster shell and crushed egg shells.

All the other girls are laying normal eggs, including my other ISA brown.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

"OS really shouldn't be mixing in to the feed, especially if it's layer feed.
better to have it in a separate feeder so only those in need will eat it and you can keep an eye on consumption.
I use this jar for a OS and egg shell feeder.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/oyster-plastic-jar.7897731/"

aart I like that idea. I was just considering some changes to how we feed the chickens for the new coop builds and I might try this out with the girls, see if I like it better than mixing it in.

 

[MeredithLindsay]

This is all so helpful. I’ve just been offering the shells by throwing them on The ground for them to choose if they want. I love that bottle idea though.

They all lay nice eggs that look the same usually. Some size variance but overall the same. I do have one that lays a lighter color brown sometimes. I assume it’s the same hen. They lay usually before I get out there in the morning so it’s hard to determine who it is.

I also have one of the four who sleeps on the floor of the coop in a little nest shes made instead of on the roost sometimes. Not every night though. I wonder if it’s the same hen. Maybe she’s bottom on the totem pole and has hurt feelings. Who knows?! Everyone seems happy and spends all day with each other in the yard pecking and scratching.

mystery!!

 

[MeredithLindsay]

How are these provided?
Are they eating them?

Just on a plate in the run. They eat them but don’t attack them like they would a worm.

 

[Kriscam]

Organic layer feed from Tractor. Occasional strawberries, scratch maybe once every 10ish days? Not really many treats since they free range.

I just saw an ad for Purina Layena layer feed that has oyster shell in it. They say you don't have to supplement with anything for your hens to get all the calcium they need for strong shells. Worth a try?

 

[aart]

I just saw an ad for Purina Layena layer feed that has oyster shell in it. They say you don't have to supplement with anything for your hens to get all the calcium they need for strong shells. Worth a try?

What's the overall calcium percentage in that feed...is it higher than the usual ~3-5%?
Wonders if the OS in it is large chunks or.....?

If all the birds laid softies it might be worthy, but 'on the side' lets those who need more get it without overloading those that don't.

 

[MeredithLindsay]

I just saw an ad for Purina Layena layer feed that has oyster shell in it. They say you don't have to supplement with anything for your hens to get all the calcium they need for strong shells. Worth a try?

Thank you! Definitely worth a shot!

 

[Kriscam]

What's the overall calcium percentage in that feed...is it higher than the usual ~3-5%?
Wonders if the OS in it is large chunks or.....?

If all the birds laid softies it might be worthy, but 'on the side' lets those who need more get it without overloading those that don't.

This is what they show. Is that the same as regular feeds? My girls are only 12 weeks old so I haven't experienced laying hens yet.

 

[aart]

Is that the same as regular feeds?

As most layer feeds, yes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I just saw an ad for Purina Layena layer feed that has oyster shell in it. They say you don't have to supplement with anything for your hens to get all the calcium they need for strong shells. Worth a try?

You can certainly try it, your egg shells will tell you if it's working or not.

If all they eat is Layer, then Layer has all the calcium they need for egg shells and body functions. Not all of us only feed them a chicken feed though. Some get a fair amount of treats or forage for a fair amount of what they eat. Some treats, forage, or even pebbles they eat for grit contain a fair amount of calcium, some don't.

If the total amount of calcium they get in a day in all their sources is enough, the egg shells will be hard. If they are not getting enough calcium from somewhere the egg shells will be thin. Your egg shells will tell you if it is working.

I grew up on a small farm in a limestone rich area of Appalachia. My parents never fed any form of calcium. During the the good weather months they didn't feed the chickens at all. Just like their parents and grandparents before them the chickens were expected to feed themselves and they did in the good weather months.. The egg shells were nice and hard, the chickens were getting enough calcium from the limestone they ate for grit and anything else they ate. Where I am I can't manage them that way, I don't have the quality of forage and I can't free range because of predators so I offer oyster shell on the side.

I don't know how you feed and manage your chickens or what your native rock is so I can't say whether you need to do anything for calcium other than give them that Layer. You need to be flexible when raising chickens. Trust yourself and base your actions on what you see. Your egg shells will tell you how you are doing.