[treecol]

I know there's been alot of previous posts about soft shelled eggs. One of my warrens has just laid a soft shelled egg which had another smaller one (soft too) on the side. She had laid it on the floor of the coop over night. I found a perfect egg two days ago in the same place when I let them out. I think it could be one of the girls who is about three years. Obviously I'm not going to be able to tell who it is. I'm going to get some calcium to add to their water today, but all others are fine. My question is, is it ok tojust let her carry on as she is. Whats the best thing to do with an old bird? We've just dispatched our cockerel as he was starting to disrupt the girls, so I'm not sentimental, but I worry that she may be worn out, as we're her 2nd home. What would you do?

[treacleminer]

Hi Treecol
I started with 4 warrens, they laid fantastically for a couple of years, but after a while started laying rough, soft shelled eggs.  Whilst they were healthy, I let them carry on, but have had to dispatch 3 of them - probable egg peritonitis - number 4 is still going strong although she hasn't laid for about 2 years now - she does behave a bit 'old ladyish' and enjoys a quiet snooze in the sun.

With yours I would keep an eye on her - if she looks ill, possibly as a result of internal laying - maybe think of dispatching her then, but otherwise let her pootle about.

[HENrietta]

We have 4 hens and 1 of them has layed soft eggs now for nearly a year, in fact we have never eaten one of her eggs! It very frustrating as i have to clean the nest box out almost everyday as she makes a mess. We keep toying with getting rid of her but she has such a lovely character I just cant, although my husband would of have done it yesterday!!! And also who wants a hen whose eggs you cant eat! At least we get 3 other eggs daily.

[LittleRedHen]

Please don't lose heart.  Our Calder Ranger laid a soft shelled egg the first time and layed a beautiful hard shelled egg today.

[jaws]

I have just two hens one of which seems to be laying soft or squished eggs all the time. If they are clean and firm enough I do collect them and use them immediately - poached, omlets etc.
I hope she lays proper eggs eventually as I could not kill her - each hen was named by a grandchild and they run to greet me when I get home from work in the evening - such a mood lifting welcom.
I am trying the getting calcium, cod liver oil and conditioning preparation into them tips I have picked up from this very useful forum to try and rectify the situation. Thanks for everyone's support.

[Roughlee Handled]

I have just two hens one of which seems to be laying soft or squished eggs all the time. If they are clean and firm enough I do collect them and use them immediately - poached, omlets etc.
I hope she lays proper eggs eventually as I could not kill her - each hen was named by a grandchild and they run to greet me when I get home from work in the evening - such a mood lifting welcom.
I am trying the getting calcium, cod liver oil and conditioning preparation into them tips I have picked up from this very useful forum to try and rectify the situation. Thanks for everyone's support.

Have you tried
limestone flower add some to there food.
there own egg shells (crushed and nuked in the microwave)
Oyster shell left out for them to eat.

[Rubellite]

Have you tried
limestone flower add some to there food.
there own egg shells (crushed and nuked in the microwave)
Oyster shell left out for them to eat.

"You can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink" 

Mine completely ignore their grit etc. I leave it in a bowl but they don't touch it so I sprinkle it on the ground where they peck and scratch. The larger pieces of shell that I previously put in their feeder end up ignored in the bottom of the tray and stopping the other feed coming down, so that gets thrown in the run too! Think mine get most of their calcium from the greens that I hang up for them. I am going to try some limestone flour

[jaws]

I think we are getting somewhere. I have ground up the grit, the cooked egg shells and some Calcium and vit D tablets I had and have got some cod liver oil. I will be looking for limestone flour this weekend (We only seem to have dog petshops locally)
Yesterday I had shell but scrunched up like paper and the contents (almost scrambled looking) around it (see below), then in the afternoon a semi firm (not hard) shell intact and a slightly less hard shell broken open.
The shells seem to be developing but I am worried about the number of "eggs" coming out of one hen in a single day. I know it is the one hen as I only have two and one hen lays normal eggs in the nest box - the other lays in the perch area and you never know what you are going to find.
Do you think this is just a young hen developing her egg laying or someone who will never get it right?

[Roughlee Handled]

Jaws just give

Crow Hall Farm - Northfield Road, Soham, Ely, CB7 5UF. Telephone: 01353 722833

they are a horse feed merchant and they may do chicken stuff.

[jaws]

Thanks. Having read one of Aunt Sally's replies I realised I needed to look for horse feed places and found Alans Ark which I think is Crow Hall farm Soham - so I will be going there this afternoon.
Two soft eggs again this morning from the same hen but at least one was in the nest box so we may be making some progress. Still worried about the multiple laying not being good for her - and of course it spreads any available calcium thinly over the multiple eggs

[andreadon]

just a thought (and one which has been chuckled at in the past...), but we sometimes give ours milk or cream to up their calcium a bit.  only every now and then, but it's worth a try because they do love the taste!
and cheese.

but not too often because it's rather fattening.

[jaws]

Went to Crow Hall Farm and got an equine quantity of limestone flour - but how much should I give to the hens daily - I only have 2 hens.

I also got the poultry spice and it looks like a good source for futre needs including the cider vinegar mentioned in other postings

Thanks

[Roughlee Handled]

I just put a enough to coat the food.  I also mixed in a little 0live oil in to make it stick. Oh if you have some gloves where them and if you have a cut cover it up.  Lime is an irretunt.