Unsecure chicken perches

[eesnepal]

Hi

I have been a novice chicken keeper for just over a year now. Had some ups and downs but more often than not this forum has provided enough guidance to fix problems without needing additional help, however the current situation is proving tricky.

One of my girls has been laying various softies for over 2 weeks now. The one time she had a day "off" the following day I had a normal egg however any egg laid on a consecutive day either has a soft end or both ends are soft - i.e. almost no shell at all - and the rest of the shell is very soft.

I have added powdered calcium carbonate to their layers mash, added crushed oyster shells to their pen to scratch + added it direct to their mash + added more to their grit - i.e. they are not short of calcium sources.... They get poultry spice in every feed. Until the problem started they were free range in the garden as well, however I have stopped their roaming to ensure they only eat the calcium rich layers mash.

Nothing seems to be working. Otherwise she seems to be in perfect health. Clear eyes, feathers in good shape, some leg mite but not serious. It might be approaching moulting time but I didn't have this problem last year.

She is 1 year old + point of lay...

 

Any suggestions or is it time to go to the vet?

 

Thanks

Mark

[sjp]

I find cod liver oil helps as do meal worms as it's been as it's been going on for a while try life guard tonic in the drinking water

I had this same problem last year but with a younger pullet, life guard did the trick it might also help you to monitor how much calcium they're eating if you only put the oyster grit in a pot or two and not in with the feed also check the sell by date on the feed as I had a slight blip with the girl i mentioned laid a few softies and I put it down to the feed being nearly out of date once I changed to a new brand I've not had any softies off her

have a look here http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1003/factors-influencing-shell-quality

[migsy]

I've got a black rock who often lays softies. Once she laid 2 on the same day. Hers are totally soft and splat on the floor and then get eaten. If I don't see them coming out I sometimes find the soft shell behind or see yolk on the hens' faces. It is really frustrating. She lays more normal ones than soft but she doesn't seem to be growing out of it. She is top chook though and looks and behaves in a perfectly healthy way.

[hippy chick]

I too have had softies for the past few days. My girls have always laid well until this sudden blip. The only thing I can put mine to is a change of diet. I have had a sick hen and have been giving her "vital vits plus" supplement. That is the only change in the diet.

Typical I have been giving loads of eggs away because I had too many . And now I'm hardly getting any decent ones