Who is laying the eggs without shells?

[Cryss]

Of course, it is now molting season and as they come out of molting, they start laying eggs and these eggs are not always the best in the very beginning. I get that. My question here is when you have a flock and you don’t know who it is that seems to be having more eggs without shells how do you figure out who needs a little extra nutrition for that purpose?

 

[azygous]

Usually it's the reverse - eggs following molt are better quality for the hen having had a rest from laying during molt, and eggs laid immediately preceding molt are often of poor quality.

If there are any hens that still haven't molted but are scheduled to, those are the ones you should suspect of laying shell-less eggs.

Another tell would be behavior. Shell-less eggs are more difficult to pass, so the hen may be behaving uncomfortably, shoulders hunched, sluggish, and spending more time in the nest than usual.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I just up the calcium offered. If it's something they can fix, they'll fix it. If it's not, then it won't get better

 

[Cryss]

Usually it's the reverse - eggs following molt are better quality for the hen having had a rest from laying during molt, and eggs laid immediately preceding molt are often of poor quality.

If there are any hens that still haven't molted but are scheduled to, those are the ones you should suspect of laying shell-less eggs.

Another tell would be behavior. Shell-less eggs are more difficult to pass, so the hen may be behaving uncomfortably, shoulders hunched, sluggish, and spending more time in the nest than usual.

Thanks! I’m not noticing behaviors at least not yet. Keeping my eyes open.

 

[Cryss]

I just up the calcium offered. If it's something they can fix, they'll fix it. If it's not, then it won't get better

I have a hanging feeder inside the coop that is constantly filled with oyster shell. They can indulge even when locked in. (Unlike feed or water which is only allowed in the run.)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have a hanging feeder inside the coop that is constantly filled with oyster shell. They can indulge even when locked in. (Unlike feed or water which is only allowed in the run.)

It might not be something super fixable

 

[Mrs. K]

Truth is, I think that diet really does not make a big difference. The reason layer feed has calcium is NOT so chickens can lay eggs. It is so that over a long period of time, as the normal calcium available slowly depletes, it can slowly be recovered in the diet. The calcium in layer feed is not for this weeks eggs. It is so that over a life of laying eggs, the calcium needed for body functions does not run out. It is a long term effect, not a short term effect.

In a true vitamin/mineral deficiency they would stop laying eggs, this is a pretty universal truth for all animals, one of the first things to shut down in a starvation mode, is the reproduction track. But for most of us, I think we can safely assume, our birds are not in starvation mode.

Shell-less eggs are much more likely to be much more of a genetic issue, which really will not be effected by diet. Most of us do have oyster shell out - and most of us knows that it will last forever, because they never seem to eat it.

I do know, that it is strongly recommended here, that if a chicken has trouble laying an egg, to dose them with a tums or some other calcium supplement. I have never tried this, nor to my knowledge had a chicken egg bound. Maybe that is because my birds get more exercise, are not fat, or I just miss it. But I do question giving a dose of something for an adult human or even a child human that is at the very least 10 x's the size of a chicken.

Anyway - rant over, - not what you asked, but in my experience it takes about 10 days for the problem to go away, if you treat it or if you don't.

Mrs K