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[Willowru]

Hi, I'm Willowru. This is the first year of chickens for me. Bought 3 RIR and 3 Plymouth Rocks,(one turned out to be a rooster!) both at 2 days old. They're now about 22 weeks old. Does anyone have any ideas why I have one or two that are laying soft, papery eggshells? I haven't been able to witness who it is. This morning I found 2 in the coop, right below where they roost for the night. It looks like one was sleeping and just plopped out an egg! I have 2 or 3 that are laying "perfect" eggs. They all get the same diet, they have calcium available free choice - crushed shells and commercial oyster shell. There's no obvious stress from predators and they're very happy living the free range life. Could it be that I simply have one or two that aren't going to have good eggs? Thanks

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC.
What feed do you use and do you feed any treats?
Have you ever noticed any illness in your flock?

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
It is not at all uncommon for new layers to drop a few softies. They can also drop one or two after they've started laying hard shelled eggs. They're reproductive systems have yet to fully mature.

 

[Willowru]

Welcome to BYC.
What feed do you use and do you feed any treats?
Have you ever noticed any illness in your flock?

Thanks. They get Nutrena Naturewise Layer pellets. As far as treats, they get some mealworms in the evening about every other day and on occasion I give them frozen corn and peas. They clean up the wild bird seed that the sparrows throw out of the birdfeeders. No signs of any illness or injury in any of them.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hello and welcome to BYC. I hope that you enjoy your time here.

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Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[Willowru]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
It is not at all uncommon for new layers to drop a few softies. They can also drop one or two after they've started laying hard shelled eggs. They're reproductive systems have yet to fully mature.

Thank you for the welcome! The first papery shelled egg I found didn't cause too much concern. However, the count is up to 6 now. All but one was split open. I want to prevent them from tasting it and developing a bad habit of a taste for their own eggs.

 

[Kiki]

Thanks. They get Nutrena Naturewise Layer pellets. As far as treats, they get some mealworms in the evening about every other day and on occasion I give them frozen corn and peas. They clean up the wild bird seed that the sparrows throw out of the birdfeeders. No signs of any illness or injury in any of them.

Move the wild bird feeder to the other side of your yard... Where the chickens can't get to it.

 

[Willowru]

So you think that possibly the wild bird seed might have something to do with it? I put only about a cup and a half total between 3 feeders...

 

[imnukensc]

Sounds like your birds free range at least part of time. I wouldn't move the bird feeder. They'll find it anyway. A little bird seed ain't gonna hurt'em and has nothing to do with the soft shelled eggs. As previously stated, new layers are still working out the glitches in the egg making department.

 

[slordaz]

Hi, I'm Willowru. This is the first year of chickens for me. Bought 3 RIR and 3 Plymouth Rocks,(one turned out to be a rooster!) both at 2 days old. They're now about 22 weeks old. Does anyone have any ideas why I have one or two that are laying soft, papery eggshells? I haven't been able to witness who it is. This morning I found 2 in the coop, right below where they roost for the night. It looks like one was sleeping and just plopped out an egg! I have 2 or 3 that are laying "perfect" eggs. They all get the same diet, they have calcium available free choice - crushed shells and commercial oyster shell. There's no obvious stress from predators and they're very happy living the free range life. Could it be that I simply have one or two that aren't going to have good eggs? Thanks

Welcome to BYC
my question is how long have they been laying? at that age I would assume not long and some birds do have more kinks to work out that others that can take around a month shelless or soft shell is usually not getting enough calcium though shelless can also be caused by for some reason they passed through to quick, these are known as fart eggs or oops eggs, if she is the lowest on pecking order she may not be getting enough feed because the others are running her off.
some suggestions that might help is add a second feeder away from the one they already have, and adding some free choice oyster shell. and patience.