[Newbie]

I know there are lots of postings about soft shells but I can'e seem to find any solution to 'Bob', my sons hen.  There are four of them together, they all eat the same food, sleep in the same house and pootle about in the same space.  She came into lay first and has had no problems but all of a sudden eggs with little or no shell being dropped wherever she is and all of them scoffing it.  The first time I thought she was really ill as she wouldn't move, just sat there, wasn't interested in food but as soon as it came out she was back to normal and she has been fine, apart from seperating herself a little from the others.  Does anyone have any ideas on what i can do to help her?  I have only had them a few months, I don't care if she never lays again as long as she is ok  :cry:

[poultrygeist]

Does she have access to oyster shell or calcium in some form ?

Rob  

[Aunt Sally]

There are quite a number of reasons that hens will lay soft or no shelled eggs.

Lack of calcium due to laying a lot of eggs. Imbalance of calcium and phosphorous, low vitamin D during winter sun levels and even viral infections such as Infectious Bronchitis and Egg Drop Syndrome.

The first thing to try is an increase in nutrition, if this doesn't help the problem then it might be untreatable  :cry:

[Foxy]

Hello newbie!
It sounds like as you have had her a few months and in that time she has come into lay. It is very important at this point to understand her diet. it could be as Poultrygeist suggests she needs extra calcium as she has used up her natural reserves and so is producing soft shelled eggs. She will feel very miserable at this point as now for a hen to lay a soft egg is very difficult for them so appetite goes down (along with the tail) then hey presto egg laid and the hen feels fine for a little while. If she has been laying for a couple of months I would think something has gone a bit wonky with her calcium levels or absorption.
Calcium is important not just in production of the eggshell but also in helping the muscles contract properly and expel the egg normally. Usually layers pellets plus adlib oyster should be enough - ensure vitamins are added to their drinking water ( eg poultry boost)  tsp cod liver oil added to mixed corn or pellets once a week plus plenty of oyster shell available.
Hope this helps!!!

[Foxy]

Sorry auntie missed your post there!!! :shock:

[Aunt Sally]

No apology needed Foxy  

Soft eggs is a very complex problem and one which is sometimes not easy to sort out.

Bio yogurt is useful.  It contains calcium and phosphorous and also helpful bacteria to aid the digestive tract.  Lack of Vitamin D is generally not a problem at this time of year as it's made by the action of sunlight on the oil in their feathers which they then preen off. There's calcium in fresh green so plenty of those is a good idea.

[Newbie]

I guess I will just have to keep trying, they have greens every day and layers mash and oyster shell (this is quite large though so perhaps I should grind it down a bit and stick it in the food.  I guess I figured if it was calcium then they would all be bed with it not just one of them.

[Aunt Sally]

If it's just one of them it may not be calcium unless she has been a prolific layer.

The large flakes of oyster will be fine for them.