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So, my chickens seem to be doing pretty well in general. They are all feeding well, look healthy and happy and taking themselves up in the coop each night.
BUT we had one soft egg on Saturday which was found in the corner of the run. It had been laid much earlier in the morning than their previous laying and I wondered if it had been laid too early which is why it was soft. When I reached in to get it out, it burst and of course the chickens quickly ate up the yolk and white before I was able to clear it up.
Another strange egg was laid early on Monday morning (6.15am). Whilst the shell seemed much paler and a little thin, it was hard and seemed fine.
This afternoon I have come home and found the remains of a soft egg in the corner of the coop. I think it may have been from yesterday. Most of the shell was there but it was squashed and empty. Again, it was a pale egg. (previously we have had 3 brown eggs from the 3 birds so I had assumed they are all brown layers.) But also there was the remains of a brown coloured egg in the run -this was definitely a perfectly fine egg but a lot of shell was missing, making me think they had eaten both the shell and insides. In the coop were two normal eggs untouched.
So... possible problems I have: soft eggs being laid by one chicken. They have got grit which has oyster shell mixed in with them. Should I get more oyster shell separately to increase the amount of shell available to them?
Secondly, eggs are being laid in the coop, but not the nest boxes. Would a rubber egg or two left in the nest boxes possibly help?
Thirdly, one broken and eaten egg in the run but two more left untouched. Is this going to become a habit? I know this is a BAD habit and not sure how to find out which one it might be doing it.
BUT we had one soft egg on Saturday which was found in the corner of the run. It had been laid much earlier in the morning than their previous laying and I wondered if it had been laid too early which is why it was soft. When I reached in to get it out, it burst and of course the chickens quickly ate up the yolk and white before I was able to clear it up.
Another strange egg was laid early on Monday morning (6.15am). Whilst the shell seemed much paler and a little thin, it was hard and seemed fine.
This afternoon I have come home and found the remains of a soft egg in the corner of the coop. I think it may have been from yesterday. Most of the shell was there but it was squashed and empty. Again, it was a pale egg. (previously we have had 3 brown eggs from the 3 birds so I had assumed they are all brown layers.) But also there was the remains of a brown coloured egg in the run -this was definitely a perfectly fine egg but a lot of shell was missing, making me think they had eaten both the shell and insides. In the coop were two normal eggs untouched.
So... possible problems I have: soft eggs being laid by one chicken. They have got grit which has oyster shell mixed in with them. Should I get more oyster shell separately to increase the amount of shell available to them?
Secondly, eggs are being laid in the coop, but not the nest boxes. Would a rubber egg or two left in the nest boxes possibly help?
Thirdly, one broken and eaten egg in the run but two more left untouched. Is this going to become a habit? I know this is a BAD habit and not sure how to find out which one it might be doing it.
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