The Poultry Keeper

jimybob · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 7

hi I've had 2 soft eggs this week only 5 of my 11 pols have started laying could this be one of the others first egg I provide plenty of grit

CP · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:16 am Post subject:

You quite often get soft-shelled eggs when POL's start laying. They should soon settle into proper egg production. Wink

Deefer · Joined: 21 Apr 2008 Posts: 4

I have ex batts, two of which are also laying soft eggs. I too provide lots of grit, in fact I mix it in with their food so that they can't avoid it. Any advice would be greatlfully received.

Deefer

CP · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:47 pm Post subject:

How long have you had them Deefer? Have they feathered up yet because they use a lot of calcium making feathers so that may be why. Wink

If it's really a problem then apart from giving them extra calcium-rich food there are several products on the market to help. Shellstim is one & I think another is called Calcivet or something like that.
If you search some of the online poultry sites I expect you'll find them. Ascotts sell one of them.

mojo · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:31 pm Post subject:

dont worry .chooks do lay soft shelled eggs for a multiple of reasions after 2 or 3 eggs a bird they usually are ok

Deefer · Joined: 21 Apr 2008 Posts: 4

Many thanks Mojo and CP for your response. All of my girls are in various states of baldness. I have mixed oyster shell in with their laying pellets so I will wait for the feathers to return before I panic too much.

Thanks again,

Deefer

Barny_Velder · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 164 Location: North Wales Coast

Try crushing up eggshells and feeding them back to them. Worked a treat for mine.
Make sure they are well crushed as you don't want them to recognise them as eggs:)

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1165 Location: Correze

All but one of my hens lay eggs with very hard shells. The other one lays eggs with soft / fragile shells about 2 out of 3! Identical diet ... I just put it down to this particular hen being a bit "duff" Wink

crazypianolady · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 646 Location: Nottinghamshire

Three of my ladies lay eggs with strong, but not too strong, shells. The other - I regularly break the yolk in my attempts to get through the shell! And she's the one that laid several eggs without any shell at all when she first came into lay!
Smile