Thin shell with calcium deposits

REspo

Hatching
Feb 19, 2025
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what would cause this? I’ve had a hen that since I got her, has laid consistently softer or thin shelled eggs that are banded in color and have calcium deposits on them. Sometimes mishapen… often my other hens will eat her eggs and only hers. I offer mealworms and oyster shell added grit and they free range. So many choices for added calcium so I don’t think that’s the issue also because she has deposits on it the eggs.
 
My first thought on reading the title was "old". What is her age?
Our senior citizen is 6. She used to lay normal eggs but they have gotten progressively weirder each year.
Her most recent offering (hey, she's still trying 🙃) tapers to a long, extra slim point that looks like it could be used as a crayon. The blue pigment has an ombre effect with the round end more blue and fades to a white point, with chalky calcium deposits.

We figured out she wasn't eating enough Oyster Shell on her own, so we have another feeder with Layer Pearls out where she likes to hang out... and that solved her weak shells problem. At her age, I'm more concerned with her not getting enough calcium, because it can cause osteoarthritis (very painful). She seems to be doing well having layer available, although she eats the regular feed as well (Flock Raiser) and the others help her with the Layer Pearls, when she's not presiding over the area. They seem to enjoy the round ball shape, even though they pick up enough Oyster Shell on their own like sensible hens.
 
Breed, age and photos of the eggs? What do you feed them? Some breeds, like high production hens, are more prone to having egg issues. If she is getting everything she needs and is otherwise healthy then I would guess there is a genetic component in play here.
She’s just short of a year, Rhode Island Red. They get kalmbach hens reserve with mealworms oyster shell and poultry grit added into it to pick through as needed. I’m thinking it’s genetic.
 
My first thought on reading the title was "old". What is her age?
Our senior citizen is 6. She used to lay normal eggs but they have gotten progressively weirder each year.
Her most recent offering (hey, she's still trying 🙃) tapers to a long, extra slim point that looks like it could be used as a crayon. The blue pigment has an ombre effect with the round end more blue and fades to a white point, with chalky calcium deposits.

We figured out she wasn't eating enough Oyster Shell on her own, so we have another feeder with Layer Pearls out where she likes to hang out... and that solved her weak shells problem. At her age, I'm more concerned with her not getting enough calcium, because it can cause osteoarthritis (very painful). She seems to be doing well having layer available, although she eats the regular feed as well (Flock Raiser) and the others help her with the Layer Pearls, when she's not presiding over the area. They seem to enjoy the round ball shape, even though they pick up enough Oyster Shell on their own like sensible hens.
She’s not even a year :/ i offer everything they could possibly need in my opinion but never heard of the pearls. She’s the only one with this issue.
 

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