Soft shelled eggs?

[chickengirl778]

Hi all!
I was wondering if anyone has any experience with a lot of soft shelled eggs. I can't figure out which hen is laying them, but she lays about one soft-shelled eggs about once a week. They the other chickens step on them, and make a runny mess. I'm worried they will start eating them, and also concerned why the soft-shelled eggs aren't stopping. I provide continuous oyster shell supply, and all suspected hens are 1-2 years old. I can't figure out why this is happening! Thoughts?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What breeds? Sometimes production breeds will release multiple ovum. Either they become double yolk eggs or one gets a shell and the other doesn't because it gets pushed out by the one coming behind. It takes approximately 24 hours to produce a shell and only about 2 hours to produce the rest.

Eggs without shells can also be from stress, excessive heat, and they are seen more as the system is firing up or shutting down for the season. They generally don't have anything to do with calcium except in the case of hot weather when panting can affect a hens use and uptake of calcium from her body.

 

[chickengirl778]

The breeds of the "suspects" are Austrolorp, Barred Rock, and Ameraucana!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How long have you been seeing the shell less eggs, or not seeing them? Could be your girls are shutting down for the season if it's only been in the last month or so.

 

[chickengirl778]

I've noticed them for at least two months now! However, the Barred Rock doesn't usually lay in the nesting box the shelless eggs have been in, so I'm thinking it might be the Australorp. However, she hasn't layed an egg for most of the summer, so I don't know why she would start laying shelless ones now!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If it continues long term there may be something wrong with the hen's shell gland. If she hasn't laid much in general she could have other reproductive issues.

Make sure your hens aren't fat. The keel should be prominent on a hen but not too sharp. That's the bone that runs up the chest. Fat hens don't lay.

Another option is she's getting older for a hen as far as production. What percentage of protein is in your feed? Sometimes hens fed a layer and extras end up deficit and they don't have the reserves to make eggs.

 

[chickengirl778]

I'm fairly sure none of the girls are overweight. The keel is quite prominent on all of them. I'll check on the amount of protein. They also get kitchen scraps and black oil sunflower seeds for extra protein.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm fairly sure none of the girls are overweight. The keel is quite prominent on all of them. I'll check on the amount of protein. They also get kitchen scraps and black oil sunflower seeds for extra protein.

Don't feed too much of the sunflower seeds. They can cause birds to develop internal fat which you can't always see.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Try just chickens food a while

 

[chickengirl778]

Okay I'll try that! They eat 18% protein, to answer your other question