4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[brambles]

My two 16 month old hens have both laid what seem to be chalky textured eggs today. The brown egg has blotches of no pigment over it and is reasonably rough shelled, the pale brown egg has speckles of brown on it.

 

What's going on with them? I can only assume it's dietary as they've both done the same thing. The only things that were different yesterday is that they spent longer in the run as I was out for a long day. Also, I'm wondering if their feed needs topping up with lime flour?

 

How long in the system does lime flour last? My pepperpot has a tendency to lay thinner shelled eggs.

 

The hens seem well enough in themselves.

[smithy36]

Hi

 

I am not sure from your description - i normally describe eggs as chalky when they have extra deposits on the outside - these are when there is too much calcium in teh diet - eg too much supplement. I think that you are right that it may be lack of calcium. Were the shells thin?

 

The other thing to consider is that there were thunder storms last night - a fright can affect the egg production - we had a thunderstorm last night ... and had a softie and an egg with no shell today.

 

I would try a supplement. Good luck!

[Tulip]

We've had this problem with our Barnevelder recently, she started laying softies - we blamed it on the lower-quality food we got when we couldn't get the smallholder pellets. Since they've gone back onto the smallholder, she has proper shells but they are as you describe them, Brambles. Her shell pigmentation is very slowly returning.

 

We've upped the calcium intake by mixing their own shells in with the feed and yesterday I got them some cod liver oil to make sure she absorbs the calcium. Fingers crossed....