Young Pullet Laying Multiple Shell-less Eggs a Day

[Sir Clucks-A-Lot]

Hello everyone!

We have four young Easter Egger pullets that we believe are 16 - 17 weeks old. This Saturday, I noticed one of the pullets was acting lethargic (not very interested in treats, acting sleepy). She then proceded to lay two shelless eggs in the space of an hour (no shell at all, like a cracked egg). We hadn't expected them to start laying yet so we had them on a blend of layer and chick feed. We also refilled the oyster shells (had some out for an older hen).

On Sunday, she wasn't lethargic anymore and was acting like herself. But on Monday she was lethargic again and layed one soft-shelled egg. Today she layed another soft-shelled egg and one without any shell (was acting lethargic again). We put her in a separate enclosure for observation.

Has anyone else had this experience before?

Is she ill? Is it a lack of calcium? Is she laying two eggs because of the high carb chick food? Should we be concerned she's laying so much so young?

I don't know if this matters but the first time she layed the shell-less egg it was out in the open and the next two times she made herself a nest in the nesting box.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Yardmom]

It sounds like her system is not quite ready for the full egg laying process. (It is not food or calcium related). Hopefully her system will mature and work out the kinks. Keep an eye on her as soft shells are sometimes hard for them to push out.

 

[aart]

Did it have a membrane, like a water balloon.....or just the whites and yolk?

 

[Sir Clucks-A-Lot]

It sounds like her system is not quite ready for the full egg laying process. (It is not food or calcium related). Hopefully her system will mature and work out the kinks. Keep an eye on her as soft shells are sometimes hard for them to push out.

Thanks! Were keeping an eye on her.

 

[Sir Clucks-A-Lot]

Did it have a membrane, like a water balloon.....or just the whites and yolk?

She's layed both soft shelled and completely shelless eggs (just the white and yolk).

 

[Lazygaze]

Any update on whether she sorted herself out? Is she still laying soft shells? I have one doing the same…

 

[babychickens321]

Any update on whether she sorted herself out? Is she still laying soft shells? I have one doing the same…

im no expert, but if its just one or two and she's behaving normally, I would think it would sort itself out, but I do know soft shell eggs can sometimes get stuck and cause a hen to get egg bound. BUT soft shelled eggs can be a sign of an illness or something and you might want to offer oyster shells on the side if you aren't already. or you could break up their own egg shells and give it.

 

[LTAY1946]

My RIR pullets laid a few soft shell eggs before the real thing. They must be a production strain as they started laying at 17 weeks to my surprise.

 

[Sir Clucks-A-Lot]

Any update on whether she sorted herself out? Is she still laying soft shells? I have one doing the same…

Hey Lazygaze! Yes she sorted herself out. Turns out she just needed time for her body to adjust like Yardmom said. She started to lay the shelless eggs less frequently and practically stopped before she began to lay two hardshell eggs a day (which eventually became one hardshell egg a day). She actually had us a bit worried because she ended up being one of the last girls to lay proper eggs.