weird large eggs, are they always thin?

[Wizbop]

One of my girls lays these crazy looking eggs that are much larger than my other girls' eggs. And they are also thinner. Are most eggs that are larger usually thinner (the shell)? I use crunched up egg shells (really minced) for them for added calcium. They won't take oyster shell at all, which is why I go this route.

 

[WhetzelMomma]

I would leave the oyster shell out all the time. I never CATCH my hens eating them, but I have to fill their feeder that contains them every month or so. They don't eat a lot to get the calcium they need from them.

 

[tammye]

I have found that a young hen who makes large eggs can sometimes produce a thin shell when they begin laying, is she young? increasing the calcium is what to do , do you feed them layer food now that they are laying?

 

[Wizbop]

Yes, they are on layer feed. I have some oyster shell and put it out for them. They just look at it and walk away. Maybe Miss Pearl will have some, since she's the one that needs it. How do they know they need it?

 

[WhetzelMomma]

I've just found that they'll eat it when they need it. I don't know how it works... lol Maybe a bit like cravings for us? You might try mixing a little shell in with your feed for a bit so that they develop a taste for it in conjunction with the feed. Then once it's not mixed, they will still be interested. I know my hens don't really need a lot.

 

[Wizbop]

Quote:
Maybe I'll try it mixed in again. I did this once before and they never "got the taste" for it. Yucky. I found another jelly egg today. GROSS! I got it out quickly this morning so they wouldn't eat it. I assume that's the thing to do, right?

 

[ElioraImmanuel]

Our chicks are on layer crumbles from the local mill. It has oyster shell in it, but every few weeks I was getting several thin shells and all the eggs had fragile yolks. Then, the egg cannabalism would start. So, I've been saving all our shells. I put 'em in the blender and grind 'em up when the thin eggs appear. This is added to their feed that day and within a few days, the shells and yolks are once again strong.