When I collect eggs from the nests, I also have to crawl inside the coop to see if Mrs. Brown has laid one in the very back corner. It is a pain because it is only about 4 ft tall and I have to crouch to get around in there. Today I found two soft shelled eggs – one looked like it had been there awhile and had been stepped on. The yolk was drying and squished into the straw. The other one looked like it had just been laid, but was split open.
I’ve heard ttat a calcium deficiency will cause this, but our girls are on an organic layer mash which has all of the calcium they should require. I don’t know who laid them either. I have three Buffs and three Barnevelders laying now, but only getting six eggs here and there. Two Buff and two Barnevelder eggs were in the nests today, so don’t know if it is one of the hens already laying or if I have a new layer.
From my research, this can happen to a new layer. Since the other eggs are fine and I’m pretty sure they are getting enough calcium, I’m thinking it must be a new layer.
I’ll have to keep a close eye on all of them tomorrow, to see who is laying what.
This entry is about
|
Day 186
Gallus gallus domesticus
Harvesting
2.0 x item
|
|
|
Day 186
Gallus gallus domesticus
Harvesting
2.0 x item
|
|
|
|
Previous Journals
-
Barnevelder Chickens Harvesting, Buff Orpington Chickens Harvesting, and Buffy & Barney's garden
Later Journals
-
Barnevelder Chickens , Buffy & Barney's garden , and Buff Orpington Chickens
-
Buff Orpington Chickens , Barnevelder Chickens , and Buffy & Barney's garden
-
Buff Orpington Chickens , Barnevelder Chickens , and Buffy & Barney's garden
Comments
LouiseM wrote:
Of course, I have nothing to say which would be useful or helpful on this matter as I don’t (sob) have any chickens. But I have to ask….what news on the goat-milking front? I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures in goat’s cheese-making….. No pressure! :)
Posted on 13 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
laurieann wrote:
oops! right – I’ll get on that right away! and don’t despair – you have honorary chickens right here Auntie Louise!
Posted on 13 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
seeingreen wrote:
Don’t know if this is considered good practice these days but when I had hens do this or shells became brittle or thin I would occasionally bake some saved egg shells, thus sterilizing them, grind them finely and mix this into a hot winter mash made from cooked veg peelings with layers mash mixed in.
Do you have oyster shell grit freely available to them?
Posted on 13 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
laurieann wrote:
I have a bucket of oyster shells that we need to grind up (going to run the Land Cruiser over them!), but our feed is supposed to have it in there, plus the other hen’s eggs are fine. Is it possible that only one of the hens is not getting enough calcium? Maybe she isn’t processing it like the others?
I like your recipe – if it continues and is one of the hens that’s already been laying – I’ll give it a try. Thanks!
Posted on 13 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
flowerweaver wrote:
Now you know why we build our coops tall enough for people, LOL. Even though our free ranging chickens get a complete layer pellet we still provide grit and oyster shell just in case and we haven’t had any soft shells. I’ve done what seeingreen recommends with the eggshells and fed them to our dogs, and I’ve heard of doing this for chickens, too.
Posted on 13 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
anelson wrote:
would being fed eggshells give the chickens the bad idea to eat their own eggs?
Posted on 14 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
TeresaGreen wrote:
I think anelson, the idea is to grind it up finely so that they don’t recognise it
Posted on 14 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
KathN wrote:
I’ve noticed the soft shell problem once in a while with my previous girls. Generally upping the calcium works (the vitamins I give them every day has calcium in it), but sometimes it seems to be just a stress thing that comes with a change of the seasons. Chickens are delicate flowers, you know. ;)
Posted on 15 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
laurieann wrote:
Thanks all – I think I will get to grinding those oyster shells up and putting it in their feed. I haven’t seen anymore soft-shelled eggs in the meantime.
Posted on 15 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
AnneTanne wrote:
My grandfather used to say that the last eggs a hen is laying (both during her life as during the ‘season’ tend to be ‘wind-eieren’, wind-eggs… Soft-shelled eggs, or with soft spots. So just before she stops laying during fall, or when she is laying her very last eggs.
Of course, those eggs can be a sign of a calcium-deficit, but that’s not necessarily the cause.
(Our oldest chicken is laying eggs with a soft spot on one side, so I’m afraid these are her last ones…)
When we eat eggs, we always crumble the shells and give them back to the chickens.
Posted on 16 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
laurieann wrote:
Thanks AnneTanne – I didn’t know that! These are pullets that just started laying and are breeds that are supposed to be good winter layers as well. The days are getting shorter now and I’ve noticed we’ve gone from 6 eggs down to 4 eggs a day already. Keeping an eye on it and really appreciate all of the feedback from folians “in the know”.
Posted on 16 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
Rascal3 wrote:
I have also heard of the first egg from some new layers being soft shelled, so I wouldn’t worry unless it continued on happening. In regards to your broken up oyster shells, you don’t necessarily have to put it in their feed, you can just keep a bowl full in their pen so they have easy access to it and they somehow seem to know when they need some extra calcium and can help themselves. Clever little things….
Posted on 18 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
laurieann wrote:
Thanks Rascal3 – I’ll just add some of it to their grit dish. I haven’t seen another soft one since, so I am pretty sure it was just a new layer.
Posted on 19 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
Like to add a comment? You'll need to sign up for a free account, or log in if you're already a member.