Thin shells

[beachchickie]

I have a sex-link that is 9mos old. Her eggs are big! XL and the shells are very thin. She has xtra calcium in her food, available on the ground, and I feed them all yogurt and peanut butter everyday. Her shells are the only ones that are that thin. I don't end up getting many of her eggs b/c they get cracked and/or broken alot. The other chickens crack them when they get in the nest with her or behind her. They are not doing it on purpose b/c they rarely eat the egg. Any suggestions?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Look under thin-shelled eggs in this link. It is possible it is an immature shell gland and she will finally mature enough to lay an egg with a good shell, but it sounds like a defective shell gland is also a real possibility. Since she is the only one and you already offer extra calcium, the problem is not the way you feed them but is in the hen herself. If the problem persists, I personally would remove her from the flock before she teaches them to crack and eat eggs.

Egg Quality Handbook
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/ourbooks/1/egg-quality-handbook/

 

[Judy]

Quote:
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[beachchickie]

Thanks for the link. I think you may be correct. I hope she will mature since she is such a good layer.