The Great Soft-shelled Egg Mystery ...

[CalBickieMomma]

For the past few months or so, I've had at least four girls experiencing egg issues. Three of them were laying soft-shelled eggs, or even expelling the inside of the egg while the shell only made it partway out (where I would have to pull the shell free). The fourth hen just stopped laying. The breeds involved are two RIRs and two EEs. The RIRs are just over two years old, as is one of the EEs. The other EE I took in from a friend who found her in the yard, so it is possible she is older than I think, but she's still pretty active, so I'm going to say she's under four or five. The rest of the girls, as far as I can tell, are laying fine (both my SL Polish, both my SL Wyandottes, my other EE, my Olive Egger, my Barred Rock, my Game Hen, my Buff Orpington, and my Buckeye). All these girls are either just over two years old or about to turn one year old. I do have one 8 year old Barred Rock who lays sporadically at this point, but from what I can tell, hasn't been laying soft-shelled eggs.

Here is what I know/have done so far:

1.) Most of the hens in question I either found in the nesting box after dark having just laid a soft-shell/shell-less egg OR I find the broken egg and sometimes the shell beneath them on the perch. So they are laying these eggs after dark.

2.) My one EE had what I thought might be an impacted crop (which I thought might have caused the no eggs issue), so I brought her in to treat/observe her and she expelled a clump of roundworms.

3.) Thinking the roundworms might be the root of the problem (impacted crop/hens not getting the nutrition they need so this causes eggs not to form well), I wormed them using SafeGuard (I'm in California and can't get a lot of the good stuff). I just finished the five day dosing a few days ago.

4.) One of the RIRs was acting sickly on Saturday, so I brought her in on Sunday and started treating her for egg peritonitis (since she had a swollen abdomen and was acting lethargic and at this point had a history of laying underdeveloped eggs). She also happens to look awful because, for some reason, she still hasn't had her first adult molt. She seems to be on the mend, though her abdomen feels a bit swollen still (but she is active and behaving normal except for the not laying eggs and I'm giving her amoxicillin twice a day and will do so until five days are up).

5.) I can't imagine this is a genetic thing - maybe for one of the girls, but not all four.

6.) I do have a chronic mite problem, but I wouldn't consider it an infestation. I'm constantly checking them for mites and when I do find the mites on their vents/tail region, I apply poultry spray (to them and their nesting boxes). Only a handful of the hens seem to have a mite issue and I can't see anything crawling on their perches when I'm in there at night with a flashlight.

7.) I feed them a mix of All Flock and Feather Fixer (if I can get it), and have been adding Game Fowl mix in for extra protein since I don't free range them. I make available oyster shell with the crushed shells of their eggs mixed in. I have a roo in with them and have read calcium can be bad for their livers.

Here is what I'm wondering and hoping someone might be able to tell me:

1.) One of the RIRs who is laying the soft eggs (not the one I was/am treating for egg peritonitis) I think just started laying the soft eggs. Could this be the stress of having worms and being treated for those worms?

2.) Since I just finished treating them, will it take a while for them to start laying again if the worms were the issue?

3) When I refill their oyster shells, some of them seem to pick out the crushed egg shells and ignore the rest or peck it out of the way. Could they be only eating the egg shells and ignoring the oyster shells, thus causing them not to get enough calcium? Should I stop providing the crushed egg shells so they have no choice?

4.) I don't think a predator is stressing them out. Their coop and run is Fort Knox and I spend a lot of time showering them with attention.

Okay. That's all I can think of right now. Sorry about the super long post, but I wanted to make sure I covered everything (and I may still be forgetting something ...)
Thank you!

 

[Cwat2006]

Try and look at what you feed them and how much because a lot of the time when chickens have soft shelled eggs or not laying at all this can be a cause from not enough calcium so there just unable to form a shell around the egg make sure they have plenty of layer pellets and you can even buy supplements for more calcium

 

[cavemanrich]

Most of the things that come to mind to remedy situation, you are already doing.

Could they be only eating the egg shells and ignoring the oyster shells, thus causing them not to get enough calcium? Should I stop providing the crushed egg shells so they have no choice?

The recycled egg shells are just fine as source of calcium. Continue doing as you are doing. I feed back ALL my egg shell back to my flock.
I occasionally throw in some oyster shells into same container with my chickens Alflock pellets. Not all of the oyster shells get consumed, but some of it does. Some is left behind. I'm only suggesting you try this,,,,, in case those 4 hens are forgetting to get some from the free-choice container.

Since I just finished treating them, will it take a while for them to start laying again if the worms were the issue?

You are possibly aware that during worming, most peeps do not eat the eggs. from the hens being wormed. I would also avoid eating eggs from hens getting other treatments, until treatment is over. (amoxicillin) I don't have the time period to wait after last treatment, before eating eggs, but usually it is on the product label that you are administering.

Sorry about the super long post, but I wanted to make sure I covered everything (and I may still be forgetting something ...)

Long posts are great,,,,, . because it give detailed info what you are already doing, and responses deal with what is not being done, or is missing.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[aart]

poultry spray

What exactly is this?


You might want to direct dose them with calcium citrate with vitamin D-3.

 

[onwingandhoof]

For the past few months or so, I've had at least four girls experiencing egg issues. Three of them were laying soft-shelled eggs, or even expelling the inside of the egg while the shell only made it partway out (where I would have to pull the shell free). The fourth hen just stopped laying. The breeds involved are two RIRs and two EEs. The RIRs are just over two years old, as is one of the EEs. The other EE I took in from a friend who found her in the yard, so it is possible she is older than I think, but she's still pretty active, so I'm going to say she's under four or five. The rest of the girls, as far as I can tell, are laying fine (both my SL Polish, both my SL Wyandottes, my other EE, my Olive Egger, my Barred Rock, my Game Hen, my Buff Orpington, and my Buckeye). All these girls are either just over two years old or about to turn one year old. I do have one 8 year old Barred Rock who lays sporadically at this point, but from what I can tell, hasn't been laying soft-shelled eggs.

Here is what I know/have done so far:

1.) Most of the hens in question I either found in the nesting box after dark having just laid a soft-shell/shell-less egg OR I find the broken egg and sometimes the shell beneath them on the perch. So they are laying these eggs after dark.

2.) My one EE had what I thought might be an impacted crop (which I thought might have caused the no eggs issue), so I brought her in to treat/observe her and she expelled a clump of roundworms.

3.) Thinking the roundworms might be the root of the problem (impacted crop/hens not getting the nutrition they need so this causes eggs not to form well), I wormed them using SafeGuard (I'm in California and can't get a lot of the good stuff). I just finished the five day dosing a few days ago.

4.) One of the RIRs was acting sickly on Saturday, so I brought her in on Sunday and started treating her for egg peritonitis (since she had a swollen abdomen and was acting lethargic and at this point had a history of laying underdeveloped eggs). She also happens to look awful because, for some reason, she still hasn't had her first adult molt. She seems to be on the mend, though her abdomen feels a bit swollen still (but she is active and behaving normal except for the not laying eggs and I'm giving her amoxicillin twice a day and will do so until five days are up).

5.) I can't imagine this is a genetic thing - maybe for one of the girls, but not all four.

6.) I do have a chronic mite problem, but I wouldn't consider it an infestation. I'm constantly checking them for mites and when I do find the mites on their vents/tail region, I apply poultry spray (to them and their nesting boxes). Only a handful of the hens seem to have a mite issue and I can't see anything crawling on their perches when I'm in there at night with a flashlight.

7.) I feed them a mix of All Flock and Feather Fixer (if I can get it), and have been adding Game Fowl mix in for extra protein since I don't free range them. I make available oyster shell with the crushed shells of their eggs mixed in. I have a roo in with them and have read calcium can be bad for their livers.

Here is what I'm wondering and hoping someone might be able to tell me:

1.) One of the RIRs who is laying the soft eggs (not the one I was/am treating for egg peritonitis) I think just started laying the soft eggs. Could this be the stress of having worms and being treated for those worms?

2.) Since I just finished treating them, will it take a while for them to start laying again if the worms were the issue?

3) When I refill their oyster shells, some of them seem to pick out the crushed egg shells and ignore the rest or peck it out of the way. Could they be only eating the egg shells and ignoring the oyster shells, thus causing them not to get enough calcium? Should I stop providing the crushed egg shells so they have no choice?

4.) I don't think a predator is stressing them out. Their coop and run is Fort Knox and I spend a lot of time showering them with attention.

Okay. That's all I can think of right now. Sorry about the super long post, but I wanted to make sure I covered everything (and I may still be forgetting something ...)
Thank you!

I've noticed my girls absolutely LOVE the crushed egg shell and ignore the oyster. Great. But since they like it, that's what they get. I do use the layer crumbles for them and I've had no issues with soft shells and my roos are doing well. I also supplement their regular food with two treats. One in the morning, high protien canned dog food and their late day snack of shredded organic greens mixed with unsweetened applesauce. I had soft shells at the beginning when I first got chickens. Now as the years have passed, we've learned that crushed eggs shells are the best source of natural calcium.

 

[Dovethesilkie]

I can only really help with the mites but I have treated goats for mites 2 times and found that dust seems to work better then spray but that is with goats I recommend cleaning out the whole pen dusting some poultry mite dust and nature’s earth which I’d a product that has helped with mite control for both calves and goats and it freshens up the whole area also dust each chicken i wish I had more information with chickens specifically

 

[McChooky]

Try and look at what you feed them and how much because a lot of the time when chickens have soft shelled eggs or not laying at all this can be a cause from not enough calcium so there just unable to form a shell around the egg make sure they have plenty of layer pellets and you can even buy supplements for more calcium

I have young pullets who lay 4-6 eggs a day.One day while working on the nest box door I disturbed the hens laying by banging around on their door.The next day I was surprised to find I got No eggs.The following day 4 eggs plus a soft shelled egg.The next day I got an egg without a shell and 4 eggs. Every day since I've got 4-6 eggs.I would invest in a camera to see if anythings disturbing your hens.You'll never know until you record their coop what may be disturbing them...