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Charlez

Soft eggs for six months

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Hi,

My Omlet Gingernut has laid soft-shelled eggs since being delivered in September. I've done a lot of reading on the subject but can't find evidence of anyone having the problem for as long as this. My 4 girls free range for most of the day but are kept in the run for at least an hour in the morning to fill up on layers pellets. On advice they receive no treats. I have added limestone flour to the pellets and there is a supply of poultry grit. I have also wormed with Flubenvet in the last couple of weeks. In principle I have no objection to keeping an unproductive hen. However, my partner has different views since I work longer hours and it falls to him to clean the eggy mess up every day from the nest. And inevitably all the girls try their best to eat the sloppy egg which he fears will encourage them to break into the "normal" eggs. Problems reached a head today when he e-mailed me at work and asked me to bring home a "chicken-sized box". Is there anything else I can try before I come home to find that Mrs Brownfellow has been "removed"? Getting the hens has been enormously rewarding and we love them all to bits, but this problem is casting a shadow over the whole enterprise. Any advice much appreciated.

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Oh dear :(

 

It sounds like you have tried a few things and personally i have found the limestone flour to be really useful but a liquid calcium supplement seems to suit my girls better.

It does seem like you little chook needs some extra calcium to help - have you tried a liquid calcium supplement? :?

 

You could use Shellstim or Davinova C, the latter is available from the Domestic Fowl Trust for a few pounds and works wonders.

 

I really do hope that the 'chicken sized box' isnt needed :(

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If you've tried limestone flour and grit to no avail, I suppose it's possible that she just has a defective shell gland and she's never going to lay proper eggs - six months of nothing but softies can't be right! If it's causing friction with your other half, I'm not sure what else you can do apart from look for a new home for her :(

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All three of my ex batts have started laying soft shelled eggs, some days I'm lucky and get an intact egg, but it has the thinest shell ever.

 

I spoke to the guy at our local chicken place (Thornes), and he suggested trying them on Growers mash instead and add poultry spice, which I did (it's fine for all the other hens too), and it pretty much solved the problem, only 1 soft shell a week now.

 

Maybe worth a try - espicially as it won't have any ill effects on the others too!

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