The Poultry Keeper

Heather

Is this something which just happens or should I be worried - the morning egg was BIG - about 80g (doesn't actually fit in the egg holder and she had been doing about 60g.

Then this evening I came back after having been out all day to find 2 soft shelled ones in the house - one was almost complete the other was a half with a yolk in it .

What should I do (if anything ? )

TIA

Heather xx

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

I wouldn't worry unduly, these things do happen,

Though don't expect any eggs from her for a few days Crying or Very sad

jaydee67 · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject:

New layers (and sometimes old ones) will lay strange eggs from time to time until they get the hang of 'proper' ones. The coolest ones we had we half hard and half soft, but complete inside. Don't worry unless it goes on for a while - then it may be a sign that they are short of calcium.

Heather · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:23 pm Post subject:

you know me George - worrying is in my nature !!! but I'll try not to Wink

I will keep an eye on her

How did you enjoy your eggs ?

Heather · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:24 pm Post subject:

Jaydee they shouldn't be short of calcium - they have their mixed grit and oyster shell - plus they get some bio yoghurt every day Smile

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

mojo · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:42 pm Post subject: hi

try not to worry and let mother nature put things right it seems all our hens deliver funny eggs just to make sure we care about them...............mojo Cool

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

honey, my wheaten maran was broody for a while recently and then gave that up and went back into lay. About a week or so after that we had a teeny tiny egg from her about 1inch tall and a full sized one. The next day we had a full sized one and by the next morning had had 2 soft shelled ones from her ~ one the lovely mahogony she usually does and one a mix from light cream to mahogony. I put it down to the stress of being broody, and then getting back to normal again, plus the complete turnaround in weather conditions from coolish to baking hot again. Like George said I didn't have eggs from her for a couple of days and then yesterday she laid a perfectly normal one.
Hope yours settles down again soon

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

Rather than start a new thread, thought I would put this here... very similar really. Let the girls out this morning, our Orp, Gloria had a yellow foot, looked inside the house to do my daily clean out and I saw that it was wet in the corner, when I looked properly there was the shell, well more of a skin really, flat with the contents obviously in the bedding and on the floor, the egg looked a fair size, then near it I found the same thing, only this time it was tiny. The shell was soft and obviously flattened as everything had come out. Is this a normal thing? The orp has just started to lay, we have had 2 small eggs from her, and she was in the house late yesterday afternoon, but nothing had happened egg wise before they went to bed. Over to you guys!!

Also, They don't seem to be tucking into their layers pellets like they were, mind you, we don't watch them 24/7 and the feed does go down but then the sparrows seem to like it too!! Evil or Very Mad

They are constantly eating bugs and greenery round the garden and they only get a small amount of mixed corn in the afternoon. They all appear healthy and happy, any reason to worry??

Knobby · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:

I wouldnt worry too much....I think all chooks lay no shell eggs sometime in their life ! My Pekin certainly lays a couple everynow & then.....!

My Orps dont seem too keen on the Layers either, my guess is if theyre hungry enough, they will eat them.....just chance what isnt regulary so they dont get stale food ! Theyre fit & healthy enough, just not as greedy as the some of the other breeds i have ! Confused

nigel · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:32 am Post subject:

Knobby the Orp we got from you is never out of the food hopper, not to mention when she sees a plum or an apple. I thought all Orps did was eat Shocked

she is a growing girl though Smile

Back to the topic.
Occasionally mine lay a soft shelled egg, they are the exception and nothing to worry about unless they are regular.

Knobby · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:35 am Post subject:

Has she laid you an egg yet ???

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

I only have the one Orp, the others are 3 x Wyandotte and a Wheaten Maran. The Orp has the healthiest appetite of all and does eat from the feeder as does the Maran but not as often as they did when we first got them, it is the Wyandottes that seem to be missing out.... mind you they eat plenty of pellets when it's mixed in with mashed potato, carrot and cabbage or with Yogurt!!! Not that they get that very often!

The Orp laid her first egg a couple of days ago... very small 50g and I believe she has done another since... even smaller 45g. The Wyandottes are still laying pretty regularly and the Maran is still to lay, but she is moulting. I am unaware if the Orp laid before we got her, she is just over a year old, as are the others. They seem happy munching away on grass, insects, flowers etc!!