The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mrs. K]

I agree with the above post, not much to worry about, it takes a bit for it all to come together. They'll figure it out. And while there are many ideas on here about soft shells, and I have tried them, I now am of the opinion, that occasionally soft-shells happen regardless of diet.

Mrs K

 

[Jewelwing]

Could be both plus a new layer plus really cold weather - right this moment I would not worry too much. If you are concerned about calcium you can always give them some yogurt, kale, eggshells, whatever you have handy. Meal Worms are an often-overlooked source of calcium as well, and they usually gobble them up faster than you can say, "Treat, girls!" If it makes you feel any better, I had one looked almost exactly like yours the other day, between the roosts. I tossed it in the compost pile and didn't worry. They will figure it all out. You might try bedding the nest boxes with straw or shavings if they don't seem interested in climbing into the shredded paper - it flattens out fast, retains moisture, and might make them worry it will wrap around their legs. Never know what a chicken thinks - or, according to DH, *if* it thinks LOL.

I do give them eggshells frequently, yogurt sometimes, and I always have oyster shell available. I could sprinkle dried meal worms in the compost or let them scratch for them in the coop shavings.

The shredded paper is cross cut, so it's not in long strips. Still, you're right - you never know what, or if, a chicken is thinking.

 

[Jewelwing]

I agree with the above post, not much to worry about, it takes a bit for it all to come together. They'll figure it out. And while there are many ideas on here about soft shells, and I have tried them, I now am of the opinion, that occasionally soft-shells happen regardless of diet.

Mrs K

I'm just so disappointed. I've waited so long for my first egg!!

 

[lalaland]

I'm just so disappointed. I've waited so long for my first egg!!

well, the good news is that they are starting to lay! hooray for that. maybe tomorrow, or in a few days, you'll have another one. The first eggs laid by my pullets just this month were also frozen and cracked open....

First time layers often don't make it to the nest, and it isn't unusual to have funny eggs - mishaped, or soft shelled, their systems are just figuring it out.

Here's to many more eggs!

 

[TeaChick]

A pair of red-tailed hawks in the trees next to the coop two days ago:



Chickens didn't seem to care.

I'd be most concerned about the second part.
Do your birds have bushes or something they can hide from areal predators under?

Maybe someone knows a hawk deterent secret they're willing to share.
(I have dogs, so the hawks don't really come around and the chickens listen to the dogs, so they know when to hide.

 

[delisha]

I'm behind on this thread by about a week, but I have some news to report today.

I finally got my first egg (chickens are 23 weeks old, and a couple have been squatting for a few weeks), but it's not really happy news. I went inside the coop, instead of just checking the egg boxes, and there was a squashed egg on the wood chips on the floor of the coop. Probably laid yesterday, since I was in the coop a lot the day before. My first egg, and it's a squashed, frozen egg with a super soft shell, and it looks like it's been pecked. So it was laid outside the nest boxes, had a soft shell, and my chickens ate part of it. Aaugh! I don't get to eat it, or blow it to save it as a trophy. I'm so upset I'm on the verge of tears. No congratulations due here.





Cut in half with a butter knife (still frozen):



I don't even know who laid it. I have a wildlife camera in the coop, but for some reason it didn't take any pictures yesterday (likely when the egg was laid). Maybe the battery's getting low, but it did take several pictures on the 24th (of me putting out scratch in the coop on the wood chips), and a couple today just of chickens walking around. So I don't know if it was actually laid inside the box and then pushed out, or laid on the deep litter.

It doesn't look like a Welsummer egg - not dark enough, I think. So I don't know who laid it - Speckled Sussex, Brahma, Australorp, or Faverolle.

What am I doing wrong? I have plastic eggs inside the nest boxes, which are lined with cross-cut shredded brown paper. They seem welcoming to me. I'm feeding my pullets grower food with free choice oyster shell and crushed egg shells. Why is this egg shell so soft? Is this something that happens when the egg freezes, or are they not getting enough calcium?

At least the yolk is nice and dark.

It could be anyone's egg. It is perfectly normal for this to happen. I am sure you are feeding all the right things..relax. Your birds are starting to lay..congrats!! You might not like your first egg..but you have a first egg. More are coming. It also looks like a very nice sized egg for a pullet and will get larger. This time of year I get those too. I just thaw them out and feed them back to the birds.

Think of a pullet at POL as a young girl just starting her menses...some girls start slow and spot and can go months before it happens again..other girls have cramps and think they are dying..etc..you get the picture......nothing is usually wrong........just different.

Quote: I am sorry you are disappointed..your girls are going to give you many eggs..hugs

 

[TeaChick]

I'm behind on this thread by about a week, but I have some news to report today.

I finally got my first egg (chickens are 23 weeks old, and a couple have been squatting for a few weeks), but it's not really happy news. I went inside the coop, instead of just checking the egg boxes, and there was a squashed egg on the wood chips on the floor of the coop. Probably laid yesterday, since I was in the coop a lot the day before. My first egg, and it's a squashed, frozen egg with a super soft shell, and it looks like it's been pecked. So it was laid outside the nest boxes, had a soft shell, and my chickens ate part of it. Aaugh! I don't get to eat it, or blow it to save it as a trophy. I'm so upset I'm on the verge of tears. No congratulations due here.





Cut in half with a butter knife (still frozen):



I don't even know who laid it. I have a wildlife camera in the coop, but for some reason it didn't take any pictures yesterday (likely when the egg was laid). Maybe the battery's getting low, but it did take several pictures on the 24th (of me putting out scratch in the coop on the wood chips), and a couple today just of chickens walking around. So I don't know if it was actually laid inside the box and then pushed out, or laid on the deep litter.

It doesn't look like a Welsummer egg - not dark enough, I think. So I don't know who laid it - Speckled Sussex, Brahma, Australorp, or Faverolle.

What am I doing wrong? I have plastic eggs inside the nest boxes, which are lined with cross-cut shredded brown paper. They seem welcoming to me. I'm feeding my pullets grower food with free choice oyster shell and crushed egg shells. Why is this egg shell so soft? Is this something that happens when the egg freezes, or are they not getting enough calcium?

At least the yolk is nice and dark.

As a newb, I can understand how you feel about your first egg not being perfect, but (as the experts here have said, basically) their first eggs are often not perfect. One of my leghorns laid a mini egg for her first.

About laying outside the nesting box, one of mine laid (apparently her first egg) in the middle of the flower bed; no cover, not even any flowers, just short autumn grass. =o/

You're probably not doing anything wrong; it sounds like you make available to them whatever they may need; if that hen needs more calcium, then surely she knows where to get it.
(Lots of first-time moms don't make it to the hospital in time and lots of them go tons of times for false labor.)

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I'm behind on this thread by about a week, but I have some news to report today.


I finally got my first egg (chickens are 23 weeks old, and a couple have been squatting for a few weeks), but it's not really happy news.  I went inside the coop, instead of just checking the egg boxes, and there was a squashed egg on the wood chips on the floor of the coop.  Probably laid yesterday, since I was in the coop a lot the day before.  My first egg, and it's a squashed, frozen egg with a super soft shell, and it looks like it's been pecked.  So it was laid outside the nest boxes, had a soft shell, and my chickens ate part of it.  Aaugh!    I don't get to eat it, or blow it to save it as a trophy.  I'm so upset I'm on the verge of tears.  No congratulations due here.

If you possibly can ... maybe not right this second, but soon-ish ... stop thinking of this as your First Egg. It's a "practice egg" ... not a "real egg." Now that you've gotten a practice egg, you know you're going to have a First Egg very soon. You've put a lot of work and care to get to that point and deserve to enjoy it when it finally happens instead of feeling another moment of disappointment.

 

[lindz8504]

If you possibly can ... maybe not right this second, but soon-ish ... stop thinking of this as your First Egg. It's a "practice egg" ... not a "real egg." Now that you've gotten a practice egg, you know you're going to have a First Egg very soon. You've put a lot of work and care to get to that point and deserve to enjoy it when it finally happens instead of feeling another moment of disappointment.

x2! This wasn't an "egg" ..... it was an almost-egg. You will get an Egg soon!

 

[zinia8]

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!!!