The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Tricia on February 27, 2013, 12:56:14 pm
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My three hens have recently started to lay again after the winter rest. However, the Sussex Rock has started to lay either very unusual shaped eggs or shells so soft they break on contact. It has been going on for several weeks. She does seem to be laying almost every day. They have access to grit, live in a large run, and get the freedom of the garden for an hour or so each day so have access to a various of things to eat. She was new to laying just under a year ago but had no problem all year. Any suggestions of what I might do to help her get her act together.
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My hens have been doing this too, although unusually they all continued laying throughout the winter months. However for the past couple of weeks a few of the hens have been laying eggs with very soft shells and on a couple of occasions no shell at all :o. I was thinking it might be too much salt in their diet and have cut out the treats such as tinned sweetcorn that they were having. They now get layers pellets, some mixed corn and the grit. They also have mealworms for their treats. Mine are free range too. I would be interested to hear what anyone else thinks might be the cause of these very weak/nonexistent shells.
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Ground up Oyster shell should do the trick, you can usually buy bags of it from the feed supplier. Scatter it about where they scratch.
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I thought soft shells was when they were comming towards the end of their laying life?? I have a few ex batts that are doing this, but my young hens all still perfect...
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roast up some egg shells, crush them, and use that as grit.
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I used to have a problem with this and it stopped when I started giving them the crushed egg shells from the kids boiled eggs.
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Mine are only young hens so not near the end of their laying life. They do have oyster grit already and definitely do eat it, but I will try the crushed/roasted egg shell and see what happens - thanks1
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Thank you all. I too like the ground egg shell idea and will start immediately. Tricia
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I too will try this as one of my hens is doing the same. What is the average age for a laying hen ?
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Hi. My hens are free range, access to grit, eat layers pellets and corn but a few weeks ago I still had a hen laying soft shelled eggs for over a week, sometimes no shell at all. I read ( perhaps elsewhere on here, but maybe not) that a shock can also cause this. This can be a snowfall, heavy traffic making a noise, anything that frightens her, even something you may not think of.
She's back to normal now thankfully
J xxxxx