Where do you put it?

[rancher hicks]

Where do you put your food. I have 4 hens who I've recently let range outside. The thing is the last two days one of them is laying thin/skin shelled eggs both of which were not found in the nest. Yesterday I found an egg in the nest broken. I assumed the rooster got at it cause he has in the past. Now I'm wondering if the hen broke it herself cause the shell was too thin.
I have had them inside for awhile and only recently let them outside. They are new birds to me. I have also let him out with them and he has been having a field day so to speak.
1. Could the thin/skin shelled egg be because she's not eating enough calcium? 2. Is this due to her not going into the coop to eat layer feed? 3. Do you put layer feed outside for them? 4. Also I feed scratch for breakfast is that ok? I have birds in a run and usually give them some first thing. They have recently been switched over to layer about a week now. I'm not getting what I consider enough eggs for 20 birds. Of the ones they lay they are small. I have received one decent sized egg but that was the first egg and not since. 8 dif breeds.

 

[Judy]

1. Yes. There is not enough calcium even in layer; they need another supplement. Most people offer oyster shell free choice.
2. Certainly could be. You need to figure out a way for her to have it available.
3. No, but mine come and go in the coop freely.
4. Scratch is OK for a treat, but treats need to be no more than 5-10% of their diet. I give mine a bit in the mornings, too.

Are your eggs small because they have just started laying? It will take a few weeks before they come up to full size. Mine have been laying about two weeks. My Australorp eggs aren't even as big as grocery store "small" eggs, but they will be extra large later on. Some breeds do lay smaller eggs than others. Also, if they just started laying, most likely some are not laying yet. Give them a month or two.

 

[rancher hicks]

1. I have 4 Dels and it's one of them that is laying the skin/thin egg. They've just recently been going out free range in the yard. They're laying good sized egg. Have some in the incu.
2. The others are in a run and just started to lay. slw.slw.buffo,cm,aus,del,dom,and rd. bant. friz. 21wks.
3. What else do you give them for calcium, other than oyster shells? I've been giving them spinach, it's got calcium, did you know?
4. I only give scratch for breakfast.