Gertie Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Hello, I'm new to chicken keeping & this site. I wonder if you can help? I've had my chickens for about 3 months & they lay mostly hard shelled eggs but at least once a week they lay a soft shelled egg. I feed them layers meal, give them oyster shell, add a mineral supplement most days & give them additional s"Ooops, word censored!"s in the evening. I don't want them to get a taste for eggs but they always eat the soft ones!! What else can I try to make sure they are getting enough calcium? Many thanks for your advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Hi and welcome! are these quite young birds or ex-batts? Pullets newly in lay can sometimes lay softies while they're building up to a regular laying cycle. Ex-batts and older hybrids generally lay softies more and more the older they get: several of my hybrids have taken to laying shell-less eggs, very messy! If either, or neither, situation applies you can get limestone flour from a horsey shop and add that to their pellets to give them some extra calcium. Doesn't hurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 One of my new girls lays softies if she lays very early in the morning. Hopefully it is just because she is new to laying and will stop as she gets older. My original Omlet girl only lays shell-less or very soft eggs. I have tried limestone flour but I think she has just worn herself out, her last proper egg was last year and she has still laid more proper eggs than the other two I have and they are only two weeks younger!! Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertie Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 Hi, thanks for the help. They are hybrid youngsters, they started laying at Easter. Perhaps I will wait for a bit& see if it's happening because they are young. If not I'll get some horse calcium! Thank you. Erika Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
