The Mystery of the Missing Eggs

[Kaseycaye]

Can you provide links to what you have read, I would be interested in reading it.

What is the % protein in the Henhouse Reserve?

16% layer feed should be sufficient for a hen to produce eggs. Shell Quality issues are usually related to Calcium deficiency, but not always.
I would cut out the extra Sunflower Seeds, look like the Henhouse Reserve already has those along with various other loose type tidbits.

Ensure your feed is fresh and in date, try to get a mill date that is within a few weeks of purchase.

I'd still looks for hidden nests and if you can figure out exactly which hens are laying the shell less eggs, give them a direct oral tablet of Calcium Citrate with D3 once daily for a week - see if shell quality improves - if it does, then Calcium deficiency is likely the cause of the shell less eggs. If not, then shell gland defect, parasites, feed, disease, etc. would need to be considered.

I'll try to find the articles I've read but no promises at this point lol

I'll see if I can figure out who is laying the bad eggs and go from there. If the calcium doesn't help, what do you suggest the next step should be? As far as narrowing down the cause between parasites, disease, etc?

 

[NatJ]

The girls all free range so I'm open to the possibility of them just out laying

Have you tried shutting them in the coop for about 3 days in a row?
If they are laying, that would force them to lay in the coop.


You could try checking their butts to see who is laying.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

If you have a rooster, check him first, because you know he is not laying. Then start checking hens. Non-layers will be like a rooster (vent and pelvic bones). Layers will have a vent that is larger and looks more moist and stretchy, and the tips of the pelvic bones will be further away from each other and from the vent. If you find one non-layer and at least one layer, the difference will probably be obvious.


Both of those ideas are meant to see whether they are laying or not, because if they are laying you need to find out what is happening to the eggs, and if they are not laying you need to find out why.