Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: ghost61 on November 08, 2016, 09:14
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The headline says it all. Young hen, just started laying. One day she will lay a perfectly normal egg, hard shell, all well. Then the following night she lays two soft shelled eggs whilst roosting, one perfectly formed but soft shelled, the other with a slight shell covering (usually transparent). She is otherwise very healthy and eats like mad. I know it is her as I have two new hens and they are kept separate at present from the two older hens, and I know where each hen roosts. The other new hen - same age - lays every day, totally normal eggs. They have all the usual things to eat - layer pellets, grit and oyster shell, loads of greens (spinach, sorrel being their favourites), odd treat - a few mealworms and corn (late afternoon), and they do get the opportunity to free range in the garden for a few hours to build their confidence in anticipation of meeting the older birds without any metal mesh protection!!
I am very worried that the laying of these soft shelled eggs and particularly the second 'transparent' one could lead to peritonitis as she lays at night and I won't be there to help her if needed.
I also put liquid calcium in their water, so not sure what else I can do to try to stop this sequence - she started laying about a week ago and I have had three sets of these overnight eggs.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
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If she only started laying a week ago, it may well resolve itself as she settles into a routine. So long as she rushes out in the morning to eat, she's fine.
If they are having trouble with an egg, you can usually spot it. Their tails are down and they hunch up. There's not much you can do if she's laying overnight, other than check her the next day and help her if she seems out of sorts.
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If she only started laying a week ago, it may well resolve itself as she settles into a routine. So long as she rushes out in the morning to eat, she's fine.
If they are having trouble with an egg, you can usually spot it. Their tails are down and they hunch up. There's not much you can do if she's laying overnight, other than check her the next day and help her if she seems out of sorts.
Agree with New Shoot. If does not settle try cutting out extras and just feed layers pellets, grit and oyster shell and free range as now. :)
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As above , make sure they fill up with layers pellets first thing .
Some hens will eat greens to the exclusion of proper egg building food !
I had one light sussex who would eat grass all day long if allowed .
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We had many that were minus a shell to start with, also some teeny tiny ones, plus some whoppers with double yolks. I really wouldn't worry if she looks ok. These eggs are her practice attempts, and it can take a little while for them to get their bits in synch.
Reduce the extras to make sure they are filling up on good layers pellets because it does make a difference.
Keep an eye on her and be quick to clear away the soft shells before they can be eaten.
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Thanks for the reassurance. Treats are minor, and only a very small handful of corn or mealworms just before bedtime. The fact that she has managed a couple of proper eggs brings hope and she certainly rushes out in the morning to eat. She was quite small when we got her, smaller than her sister, but five weeks later she is larger and far more friendly (she has learnt that I am the food lady :D ).
They are both good in that they ignore the eggs dropped in the tray overnight. Don't think I can do anything other than keep an eye on her, but at present she is very fit has a golden glint in the eye!