OK... need some new thoughts on this...
All 6 of my pullets are now in lay, 4 within the past 3 weeks. All my birds (2 hens, 6 pullets and a cockerel) have free access to layers pellets between 7am and dusk with grit and oyster shell provided in a separate container at the same time.
As "treats" they get a cup of mixed grains (barley, wheat, cracked corn) between the 9 birds a couple of times a week, and occasionally half a melon.
They free range in my 500sqm garden of which they have access to about 350-400sqm.
Over two weeks I have been getting an increasing number of soft-shelled eggs. Currently it is almost one a day - though I am still getting 6 "normal" eggs a day.
As the colour of the egg is layed on last, I can't tell who is laying the soft-shelled ones I recognise the eggs from at least 4 of my hens, the other 4 are a bit more difficult as they all started laying at the same time (when I was conveniently on holiday!)
This morning I found an egg with a fragile, but hard, shell in the middle of the garden which has never happened before.
In themselves, the hens are happy, busy doing henny things (digging up my dahlias, moving all the bark chippings from my borders onto my lawn...) One pullet has a mucky bottom, but there is a lot of fruit on the ground at the moment (plums, mirabelles, my late raspberries (these disappear off the canes
)). And one pullet keeps her tail straight/down - though she has always done this from being a wee chick, so I think it is just her - she has been investigates for lice and mites and endured (much to her disgust) a nice warm bath.
Any ideas what I could do? I don't really want to put limestone flour in the food as I may overdose the others who don't need it.
ACV with mother is not readily available here (I've looked for it for my horse), though I could put a vitamin tonic into the water for a few days.
Thanks for any opinions