[Stewart P]

We have 4 ex-batts who are still pretty productive laying between them usually 3 or 4 eggs per day.  I've read that it takes 23-25 hours to produce an egg and that they lay in the morning or not much after lunchtime.  Without fail we collect all the eggs from the nest box everyday, usually in the evening after work.

This evening we collected today's four eggs and let the chickens out of the run to stretch their legs and forage before bed.  One of the birds appeared to get "caught short" and got into what now appears to be laying position in the middle of the lawn.  Looking odd and not realising what was happening we picked her up and a soft-shelled egg plopped out onto the grass (about 7:30pm).  We've had a couple of soft shelled eggs in the nest box this week.  We've had the odd one or two over the last 6 months which I understand is normal.

So, two eggs in one day, last one soft shelled and laid on the lawn instead of the nest box. 

Baffled, any ideas?
 

[Casey76]

It's not unusual, when laying 2 eggs in a day, for one or the other to be soft shelled. As you state it takes between 23 and 25 hours to lay an egg, therefore any egg not being in the oviduct for that long won't have had the correct amount if shell added to the membrane.

[hen addict]

I get this sometimes. Don't be surprised if your 1egg down today she should lay normally tomorrow.

[Sassy]

As they are ex batts some may be coming to the end of their laying days, indicated by the laying of soft shelled eggs, so this is not right but is normal. Some of your birds may go on laying for some time to come, you never know

[Stewart P]

Well thanks for those comments.  Today we had three normal eggs laid in the nest box and then later in the afternoon a fourth, soft-shelled but laid on the lawn at the bottom of the garden. 

I guess from the comments so far that there is little to worry about but a lot of soft shelled eggs in the space of a week and the two most recent laid in the middle of the garden - like it takes her by surprise and she can't make it back to the nest box (it's only a small sized suburban garden). 

Do we have a menopausal bird you think?

[Sassy]

It does take a lot out of girls laying softies. They are very hard to lay. I don't know if a tonic or some sort of boost may be in order. Hopefully someone will advise.

[hen addict]

Try increasing the calcium intake, try feeding back and used egg shells by heating them in the oven then grinding them up, and mix with the food. Or try a spoonful of tined fish in oil the type with soft bones in mixed with some corn make sure your grind the shells up enough so they don't resemble eggs! Or there are calcium supplements you can buy. But I don't know what they are called as I don't use them, the former usually works for me.

[Sassy]

Or there are calcium supplements you can buy. But I don't know what they are called as I don't use them, the former usually works for me.

Limestone flour-available from horsey/agricultural shops.

[grinling]

do they have oyster shell and grit available? The batts normally decrease eggs after 18 months of laying and will lay less each week. They can live for 3-4 years normally not laying.
Have you checked them over for wheezing or bubbly eyes?
The chooks will eat the soft shelled eggs.

[joyfull]

Limestone flour is also available from reptile shops as I believe it is useful for the shells of some reptiles.
Also make sure they have some dark leafy greens to help with the absorption 

[wolfpup]

Country Living   do an  Eggshell Improver  -  got mine from my local horsefeed supplier that also does chicken stuff - but can also get it on fleabay.   I used this for my ex-bats when they were coming to the end of their laying life before retirement.