Someone’s laying thin eggs

[crabby chickens]

I have a single hen laying very thin shelled eggs that break in the nest. I’ve done all of the things to correct it but I think her egg laying machine is broken. I saw her on camera but I have 3 others of the same breed. I’m planning on putting each one in a large dog crate one at a time to see if I can figure out which One it is. Do you think she way lay an egg in the crate? Anyone else know how to isolate a hen?

 

[Sussex19]

Do you think she way lay an egg in the crate? Anyone else know how to isolate a hen?

She should. If there is an egg in the system, it has got to come out, so if she is stressed in the crate she might not lay more than one or two, but she will have to lay those, if that makes sense.
Another way to find out which hen it is, is to put up a wildlife camera pointing at the nests.

Do they have oyster shell on the side?
If you find out which hen is laying the thin shells, try giving her a calcium and D3 tablet every day for a week or two.

 

[ChickNanny13]

What are you feeding? Do you have Oyster Shells available for your hens? Assuming this are "newbies", how old? Are you sure it's one laying the thin shell? Are you finding shells in the nest box? Is it thin shell or soft shell?

2x ^^^ When you discover which pullet/hen is laying the thin/soft shell egg, Calcium Citrate w/D or even Tums will work in a pinch. You may want to consider a separate dish of Oyster Shells even if you're feeding a layer feed, they will eat as they need.

What I do is when the pullets get ready to lay I "stalk" them, learning who lays what shaped egg. Color isn't dependable as the bloom tends to change the shade but the shape of the egg is how I tell how's laying ... I keep 3 - 6 and don't have a "flock" to tend.

 

[crabby chickens]

She should. If there is an egg in the system, it has got to come out, so if she is stressed in the crate she might not lay more than one or two, but she will have to lay those, if that makes sense.
Another way to find out which hen it is, is to put up a wildlife camera pointing at the nests.

Do they have oyster shell on the side?
If you find out which hen is laying the thin shells, try giving her a calcium and D3 tablet every day for a week or two.

Their feed has calcium in it and they have free choice oyster shell. We have a camera in but we have 4 red links and they look alike

 

[crabby chickens]

What are you feeding? Do you have Oyster Shells available for your hens? Assuming this are "newbies", how old? Are you sure it's one laying the thin shell? Are you finding shells in the nest box? Is it thin shell or soft shell?

2x ^^^ When you discover which pullet/hen is laying the thin/soft shell egg, Calcium Citrate w/D or even Tums will work in a pinch. You may want to consider a separate dish of Oyster Shells even if you're feeding a layer feed, they will eat as they need.

What I do is when the pullets get ready to lay I "stalk" them, learning who lays what shaped egg. Color isn't dependable as the bloom tends to change the shade but the shape of the egg is how I tell how's laying ... I keep 3 - 6 and don't have a "flock" to tend.

It’s a 2 1/2 year old red link and we have 3 others who look similar. We feed a hen pellet with calcium and they have free fed oyster shell. We have 13 hens. It’s a thin shelled egg as I’ve luckily gotten to the coop to rescue it before it was broken and eaten

 

[Sussex19]

We have a camera in but we have 4 red links and they look alike

Definitely try crating then, or one more idea; can you get zip ties in different colours?
You could put them on as leg bands to help tell them apart.

Their feed has calcium in it and they have free choice oyster shell.

So if you find out which one it is, try giving the extra calcium tablets, and just see if that helps.

 

[Tram]

After 2 weeks of Calcium Citrate w/ D3. And say the eggs look good. Will the system continue or do they go back to thin shell?

I have two hens doing this. Oyster shells available by food. Free range daily with Nature Wise egg layer feed available in coop.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Hard to say, what breed are they? Have read the "production/hybird" breeds may have issues with reproductive system. I have a WTB that laid soft shell when she first started, "cleared up" but today she had a soft shell and not looking good. Keeping an eye on her ... She's a hybrid but not production although she lays everyday, may skip a day once every other week.

 

[Tram]

The one I identified is a Bard Rock, gave her a Calcium Citrate w/ D3 petite pill tonight. First time giving a pill. Was easier than I thought it was going to be.

 

[rosemarythyme]

After 2 weeks of Calcium Citrate w/ D3. And say the eggs look good. Will the system continue or do they go back to thin shell?

You can try slowly reducing the amount of calcium you give her. Example: if you are giving 1 pill a day, try 2 pills every 3 days instead. If results are still good in 10-14 days, you can reduce it to 1 pill every 3 days, and so on. If you start seeing a decline in shell quality, then return to the previous dosage and that should meet her needs.