[josh5357]

can anyone help, I have 3 point of lay rhode rock hens. I get 2 normal eggs and 1 soft shell egg most days. A soft egg has been layed for the last 13 days.
The hens are on layer pellets. they turn there noses up at oyster shells.

[wolverine]

Exactly the same problem even for almost the same amount of days I've put mine down to red mite have you checked your coop?

[Jeanette]

Do they have oyster shell available for them at all times. You could also try a little limestone flour on half a grape and give that to her but only give it to her for a few days and that will help stop her laying softies.

[josh5357]

Exactly the same problem even for almost the same amount of days I've put mine down to red mite have you checked your coop?

Thanks wolverine, hens and coop new on 5th august i have sterilised it and dusted with mite powder just in case but no sign of any mites

[josh5357]

Do they have oyster shell available for them at all times. You could also try a little limestone flour on half a grape and give that to her but only give it to her for a few days and that will help stop her laying softies.

thanks jeanette. oyster shells in there own container every day, have even tried hiding them in a banana lol

[josh5357]

Exactly the same problem even for almost the same amount of days I've put mine down to red mite have you checked your coop?

have the soft eggs stopped, Josh

[wolverine]

hi josh no they haven't stopped I took the chicken to the vet who new nothing I'm giving her limestone flour and I poultry shielded my coop big time yesterday again and only saw about 5% of the mites I did when I first spotted them so fingers crossed !!! but to be safe I ordered the eglu cube it's plastic so I'm hoping will be easier to keep mite free.

Have your softies stopped ? if they have what did you do?

[josh5357]

Hi Wolverine, I have changed their feed from layer pellets to mash. This is the first morning for 2 weeks that I have not found a soft egg in the coop on letting them out. early days yet, will see if i get a good shell today.

[josh5357]

hi josh no they haven't stopped I took the chicken to the vet who new nothing I'm giving her limestone flour and I poultry shielded my coop big time yesterday again and only saw about 5% of the mites I did when I first spotted them so fingers crossed !!! but to be safe I ordered the eglu cube it's plastic so I'm hoping will be easier to keep mite free.

Have your softies stopped ? if they have what did you do?

I changed to layer mash and thought they had stopped but still getting soft eggs. the hens dont even go into the nest box to lay them. Jeanette suggested limestone flour so i have crushed up some oyster shell into a powder as on checking the web they would appear to be the same or similar

[wolverine]

I got a hard shelled egg today maybe the limestone flour is working it wasn't the right colour though very pale she normally lays a dark brown egg any sugestions on pigment problems?

[josh5357]

hi wolverine, is it point of lay birds you have. sorry i cant help with shell colour i'm only 4 weeks into keeping hens. learning every day. i hope

[wolverine]

3 hibrids They are about 9 months old and have been laying an egg each a day for ages untill the other week. The other two still give us enough eggs there are only two of us. 

[josh5357]

I've got the 4 rhode rocks. 3 are old enough to lay the 4th is about 2-3 weeks away from laying.
I payed  to have them all the same age, I suppose you learn the hard way.
The problem would appear to be that there is some sort of calcium deficiency I am going to keep adding ground oyster shells to the layer mash for another week to see what kind of result I get. 3 eggs today, 2were soft. One bird lays a soft egg every day without fail.
Anyother suggestions would be appreciated. Josh

[Flowerpower136]

I've got ex batts, so have had lots of problems with soft shells.  And tried everything. Oyster shell, calcium tablets, limestone flour, etc etc.  Each time you think you've got it sorted, then another batch of soft shells turn up.

But, think I've done it this time.  Our local gamekeeper put me on to 'Shell Max Booster' from Solway Feeders.  Having failed with everything else was very sceptical, and it's not cheap, but I love my girls, so tried it.

Dosage for a few hens is very tricky, as it's a product aimed at flocks.  A 1 litre bottle of the stuff, and had to measure the daily dose for my lot with a syringe.  You just add it to their water.

Against all odds it worked.  Kept them on it for a week, then stopped.  If soft shells start again, I just put them back on for another week.  Still get the occasional softie, but huge improvement from the 1 or 2 every single day that we were getting.


 

[josh5357]

thaks for that. will try and source some from local feed merchant .  josh