This is crazy

[GoldenCometLady]

Why would just one hen out of 11 be laying a very soft shell egg?
They all have acsess to crushed egg shells free choice.
That is all I have ever used for over a year and have had no
problems at all. I have noticed for a while egg yolk on some of
the eggs. More than once I have had to change out the straw bedding
in a nest box because it was wet with yolk.

I really thought we had one or more of the girls breaking and eating
the egg. But shell was no where to be found. Today I got one that
the shell was so thin you could have ran you finger right through it.
The shell was very pale nearly white and mine lay brown eggs.
I have been getting a pale thin shell from one of the girls for a while
but not this paper thin.

Is she just not eating the crushed shell?? Or is she sick??
I recently changed from laying crumbles
to Flock Raiser which has less calcium. This was done because I have younger
pullets that can't eat the laying crumbles yet because of the high calcium.

 

[NYRIR]

I'm no expert but,could it be she's lower in the peck order and is not getting enough?Why not offer Oyster shell free-choice in a seperate container?
I have one hen(who I need to find out) that always has layed a thin shelled egg.Drives me crazy cleaning it up.But if she just started? I would think food change first...can you separate her from the flock and feed her a higher calcium level for a couple days and see if that helps? Just a thought.
As for her being sick? I couldn't tell you,sorry

 

[GoldenCometLady]

Thank you NYRIR for your reply

Has no one else an answer for me???

 

[EggNoob]

I would agree.. not enough calcium.. maybe she doesnt like the shells?? In the think shelled eggs.. is the white exceptionally runny?

(ps .. grew up in parkersburg)

 

[GoldenCometLady]

EggNoob you know I never checked it. Maybe I should have.
Maybe we were neighbors as I grew up in Parkersburg too.
I graduated PHS in 1963

 

[RustyHen]

Quote:
It might be the begining of internal laying,

is she a sexlink or a hatchery hen? I understand that they are more suseptable (sp?) to internal laying.

 

[GoldenCometLady]

She is a red sex link Golden Coment. Bought at TSC so yes she came from a hatchery.
I hope that is not it. How would I know and what could I do about it?

 

[Chris09]

Calcium is just one of a few things that can cause hens to lay soft eggs.

Calcium -
Phosphorus -
Calcium and Phosphorus Inbalances -
Vitamin D -
Genetics -

Chris

 

[dainerra]

lol I grew up in Pt Pleasant WV, my mother lives in Ripley just a short drive from Parkersburg!!! Is this the reunion thread??

anyway, it is possible that it could be a genetic problem with this hen. I would give them access to oyster shell as well.

you can also give her some "special" treats: spinach, collard greens, etc
if nothing helps, the most likely thing is that it's genetic. It's not unheard of in hatchery chicks. My mom got a batch of 20 chicks that ALL laid soft-shell eggs so into the freezer they went.