Why do I ALWAYS lay softshell eggs?

[GC-Raptor]

Seems like the soft-shell layers sometimes don't know they are laying eggs!

Yeah my girl Blondie lays a couple of eggs in the pen a week or while free ranging, and not under a bush, right out in the open. Hard shell or soft, with her it doesn't matter. I have witnessed her lay a hard shelled egg in the pen a couple of times. GC

 

[GC-Raptor]

one of my chicks laid an egg with what seemed to be just the membrane no hard shell. we have a total of 3 chicks as of now one chick is laying 1 small egg daily (will the eggs get bigger the more they lay?) and what can I do about the soft egg, this only happened once and they just started laying 4 days ago (I am new to all of this please help) THank you

Yeah the eggs will get bigger. My girls first eggs were 1.5 oz/43 grams. By the 4 month of laying the eggs averaged 2.25 oz/64 grams. At 16 months old they average 2.5 oz/71 grams. You may get some double yolks in the first couple of months. . .GC

 

[azygous]

one of my chicks laid an egg with what seemed to be just the membrane no hard shell. we have a total of 3 chicks as of now one chick is laying 1 small egg daily (will the eggs get bigger the more they lay?) and what can I do about the soft egg, this only happened once and they just started laying 4 days ago (I am new to all of this please help) THank you

There is a calcium therapy for hens who have consistent problems with shell-less eggs. Usually this trouble happens in older layers whose shell glands are aging and not converting calcium into shells. A pullet who lays an occasional egg without a shell is not necessarily in need of calcium therapy. The problem usually resolves itself.

I happen to have a fleet of aging layers. I have a five-year old hen, a six-year old hen, a seven-year old hen, and an eight-year old hen who all have trouble on occasion with getting a hard shell wrapped around their eggs. That these hens are laying at all is still a thing of wonder for me. Here's what I do.

As soon as I see one has laid a very thin-shell or shell-less egg, I crush a calcium citrate tablet and mix it into a dab of peanut butter. I add half a tab of acidophilus for good measure. I do this once a day every day until they lay a normal egg.

This has worked well with all but my eight-year old, even though it did at the start of this season. I fear she's finally worn out her egg factory. I tell her she can retire and shut down the factory, but she keeps trying anyway.

 

[Gramma Chick]

They don't need to be on layer, they need a source of calcium like oyster shells. Layer isn't necessary.

True ...But probably most people use layer as a convenience ..
as it has the added calcium...already

 

[Gramma Chick]

Thank you, they are layer food now. I will keep looking out to see if it continues. I am happy to be getting one egg a day (wish I knew from which chick) can't wait till they are all laying!!

You can try some different color food color in and around the vent of each chicken