Weak or no shell egg layer

[sqatkins]

Greetings Friends,
I bought 5 pullets (two Rhode Island Reds, and 3 Wyandottes) in mid-August, and the eldest of them started laying in late October/early November, and the last of them started laying right around Christmas. I have extended their days in the coop with artificial light as our Montana winter days are extremely short. I usually get 4 or 5 eggs a day, but sometimes find only 3. Sometimes I find a crushed egg in the nesting box that clearly had a very weak shell. Sometimes when I clean the bedding in the (very small coop) I find a poorly formed egg with a flimsy shell or no shell at all, just the white membrane. Most are crushed as a result. I am fairly certain that it is one of the Wyandottes, but clearly she CAN lay good eggs because I do get 5 perfectly formed eggs every few days.

I have two kinds of calcium available. A white, almost granular crushed oyster shell, and a gray, flakier crushed shell. They are in feeders near the water source, readily available to all the birds.

Of the hard-shelled eggs, all of them are perfectly normal with no evidence of parasites inside the eggs.

So, is this normal? Or is this a sign that one of the birds is sick? Or is this a sign that one of the birds is just a lousy layer?

Thanks for your input!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

It is a sign of new layers coming into their first year of lay.

One thing you might consider, other than the calcium source, since you are in Montana, which doesn't get a whole lot of sun (like my Oregon) in winter, you might check your layer feed to see if Vitamin D is added. Pretty much everybody here in Oregon has to supplement during winter, including our chickens.

Just check your layer feed first. I find I do best on good layer feed with additional oyster IF the hens want it, but my best egg laying comes from proper layer. Some hens need both.

Chances are it is simply the normal variations of new manufacturing....it takes a little bit for hens to get their systems in line...which is harder during winter.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[aart]

Could be a start up glitch...but the last one started a couple months ago, so should be up to snuff by now.
Did you see any of these messes before that last one started laying?
How are you applying the light?
Are they eating the shell?
What all and how exactly are you feeding?
Sorry for all the Q's ...problemsolversparadox