Bells Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 We've had our two chickens for 4 weeks now and up until yesterday they were bright and active, always in their run or free ranging in the garden. Yesterday one went very quiet, off it's food and water and although it was out of the run it wasn't moving around much, the other was fine. We checked the eglu today and found one thin shell and one soft shell egg. The other has now gone quiet as well and both are now sitting in the eglu and refusing to come out and as such haven't touched food or water today. Is this normal when chickens are starting to lay or should I be concerned? Thanks Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Laying softies and thin shelled aggs can often take it out of the chickens, and can result in them looking a bit under the weather till it resolves. I'd be concerned that they aren't eating or drinking though. If you haven't already, try and tempt them with some treats, or soething watery, like cucumber, and once they are eating again, try and get some extra calcium into them - crushed, baked egg shells are ideal - to resolve the problem of the soft eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Pimlott Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 soft shelled eggs can be caused by a number of things immature egg gland, delay in maturity a defective egg gland stress causing bird to lay before shell is made & poor diet however all but the last should not affect the well being of the bird i doubt if you are feeding a quality pellet that its poor diet, if they are reluctant to come out i think they could of had a fright, or they could be ailing. birds do go down hill fast so please be vigilant if in doubt seek your vets advice. you must keep offering water it is important to keep birds hydrated. i would be concerned if my did not eat & drink etc... birds are good at masking ill heath & usually show symtoms when an illness has progressed. are they vaccinated? Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bells Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 I should have mentioned that they haven't laid any eggs before these two we've just found this morning and I'm not even sure if both of these are from the same chicken or they've laid one each! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bells Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 They are both from omlet so are fully vaccinated. I will try to get them to drink and maybe get some treats into them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 A couple of my chickens used to lay soft-shelled eggs when they first started laying but it didn't put them off eating or drinking. They were usually quiet and fluffed up for about an hour or so and then back to normal. Have you checked them for lice? Even though they are supposed to be wormed before you get them it might be worth worming them again just to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Is she broody and sitting on the nest? They stop eating and laying eggs if broody, make strange noises and go into a kind of trance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beergibbon Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 All sorted now, they are fine and we got our first egg the other day (a "whopper" at 49g)! Neil (Bells' other half) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Good to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
