Thin egg shells

[Fairview01]

Try adding a small amount of lime, as in agricultural lime to their water. Lime is calcium oxide. Serves the same purpose as oyster shell. If the problem is decreased or goes away after a week, then it was lack of calcium in the hens diet. If not then you have a pet or supper.

 

[AB Gamebird Farmer]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

That's a terrible story, sorry for your loss.

Have to say, I'm not a fan of anyone being victimized while they are down. I would have been eating me two barred rock bastards that day... if I wasn't to ticked to just toss them out to that dog that was part of the run in with the poor hen.

It is a terrible story, it made me sad, but then I remembered that chickens aren't humans and I was fine.

but yeah, soft egg shells suck, buying oyster shell sucks, buying commercial layer mix sucks. I was reading some government of saskatchewan publication that said limestone or oyster shell work as a calcium source. Im pretty sure it said laying hens need 4% of of their diet to be calcium. .... ill just find the article

 

[EggSighted4Life]

4% sounds about right.. as is most formulated layer feeds content.

Chickens may not be humans.. but no animal should suffer needlessly. The more things I see in nature, the more I know that *some* bleep bleep humans also are doing what comes natural. Sadly it's survival of the fittest, or sometimes the nastiest I guess. Plus when I remember chicken weren't humans... OFF with their heads!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

A short time ago we were at the supermarket and checking out the white eggs for sale. Basically comparing them to ours because we have not bought store eggs for years and wanted see any visual differences. The first one I tried to pick up and inspect smashed by my fingers. Tried another and it smashed. Wow. I have been accustomed to handling our calcium rich egg shells and when using my usual grab it was too much pressure for the 79¢ per dozen store eggs. I told a stock clerk sorry about the damage and apologized.
Sometimes when we cook with our homegrown eggs you have to hit the Dickens out of it to split them.
What a difference! Yowza!
Good thread. Thanks for allowing me to contribute.
Take care all..

 

[EggSighted4Life]

A short time ago we were at the supermarket and checking out the white eggs for sale. Basically comparing them to ours because we have not bought store eggs for years and wanted see any visual differences. The first one I tried to pick up and inspect smashed by my fingers. Tried another and it smashed. Wow. I have been accustomed to handling our calcium rich egg shells and when using my usual grab it was too much pressure for the 79¢ per dozen store eggs. I told a stock clerk sorry about the damage and apologized.
Sometimes when we cook with our homegrown eggs you have to hit the Dickens out of it to split them.
What a difference! Yowza!
Good thread. Thanks for allowing me to contribute.
Take care all..

Wow, 79 cents a dozen is unreal! I haven't tried market eggs in a LONG time either, so I have no true idea of the quality difference. But it's true that *most* of the time I have to really slam them on the counter to crack. When I do get a slightly softer one and do my normal smack down it just busts all over my hand. One customer commented that "if an egg hits the ground and doesn't bounce twice without breaking, that it isn't mine"! What a compliment.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Wow, 79 cents a dozen is unreal! I haven't tried market eggs in a LONG time either, so I have no true idea of the quality difference. But it's true that *most* of the time I have to really slam them on the counter to crack. When I do get a slightly softer one and do my normal smack down it just busts all over my hand. One customer commented that "if an egg hits the ground and doesn't bounce twice without breaking, that it isn't mine"! What a compliment.

On the other side of the coin, for our breeder chickens we try to back off a bit on the calcium. We have had to rescue trapped chicks in concrete egg shells before. Just our opinion, no claims to fact.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

You can add oyster shell to their feed for harder shells.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

You can add oyster shell to their feed for harder shells.

I provide OS on the side and flock raiser as my main feed. The hens regulate their own intakes as I have no say what they eat.

Incidentally.. I took a jet boat trip up the Rouge River in Oregon this week and we went through Hell Gate Canyon where a potion of the movie Rooster Cogburn (along with some other) had scenes filmed! I haven't yet looked into the movie, but did flash to your user name when they told us that.

On the other side of the coin, for our breeder chickens we try to back off a bit on the calcium. We have had to rescue trapped chicks in concrete egg shells before. Just our opinion, no claims to fact.

Interesting! I have considered it but not faced the issue yet. How exactly are you able to reduce calcium intake for breeders?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I provide OS on the side and flock raiser as my main feed. The hens regulate their own intakes as I have no say what they eat.

Incidentally.. I took a jet boat trip up the Rouge River in Oregon this week and we went through Hell Gate Canyon where a potion of the movie Rooster Cogburn (along with some other) had scenes filmed! I haven't yet looked into the movie, but did flash to your user name when they told us that.



Interesting! I have considered it but not faced the issue yet. How exactly are you able to reduce calcium intake for breeders?

We try to limit large amounts of conventional egg maker grain (only to birds selected for temporary breeding). More corn which I believe is only 8% when cracked. Cooked rice which we buy at a discount because of weebles. Veggies galore.
Please note our birds are mostly for human consumption eggs. But we periodically choose some of the hens ( according to desired bred) to be placed in a couple of breeding houses with a selected Roo as well. The longest they stay in the breeding house is long enough to fill 1 incubator which is generally less than a week. Then they are returned to population and continue the higher calcium diet. I don't know it works nor can prove it. It is just what WE do, right or wrong don't know. Plus the hens don't get too damaged from 24-7 Roo exposure. Roos are ruthless rappists. The hens stay healthier with short time calcium level drops and too much Roo exposure.
"Opinion Only". Don't try this by recommendation. Because it is not being promoted just shared as our method.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Roos are definitely ruthless maters. I keep my boys in a pen and only let mate when I want. Definitely keeps the hens happier.

I get you're not promoting your method and do it only on occasion... since I'm an over thinker , not trying to change your mind or saying you're doing anything wrong... I wonder if achieving your desired goal (easier hatching shells), would be greater benefit by trying your tactics, say a week or so before actually collecting eggs? In my thinking, the calcium doesn't go directly from the source to the eggs. It is processed into the keel bone where it is then distributed to the shell gland and eggs. Thereby creating a possible delayed reaction... In fact a hen will sacrifice her own body calcium before she quits laying eggs. So I'm not sure how that (easier cracking eggs) can ACTUALLY be achieved. It's a great problem to have! More often than not when people get soft shells.. it is about the reproductive system starting up, shutting down, or just having a basic hiccup. (In my experience) On occasion nutrition becomes suspect.

However, diminishing the protein(actually the amino acids in it) (maybe calcium too) would also *in theory* reduce your hatch rate/chick vitality. But again, thinking delayed reaction... you don't just suddenly become vitamin deficient or even fat when you start eating crud. You have to eat like that for a little while before you start seeing the results. Something to consider anyways.

Thanks for sharing your idea with me! I probably won't do it, but appreciate the opportunity to talk possible improved hatching. Learning what others do is the only way to find new ways that may or may not work for you. Did you know that after the first mating, the hen can be fertile for 2 weeks still? I ONLY have 1 incubator, So I always only collect eggs for about a week also, so they can all be set before the 10 day old mark. I guess those hatching chicks had better be strong!