Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[LES DUNNING]

Hi everyone, not been on here for a little while but have a little niggling question to ask. Have my five girls that are now about 22 weeks old. One of these " KIMBERLY" my columbian blacktail, has been laying a perfect egg every day for the last two weeks,GREAT!!! Another hen "GEORGINA" my speckled laid her first egg yesterday, perfect egg again. " HANNAH" my sussex star and "JOAN" my magpie are not laying yet. Heres my niggle........"DUSTY" my bluebell, has been laying for about a week now, but produces a perfect egg one day, then a soft shelled or partly soft shelled the next, then a good one again...........Will this sort itself in time as not sure why this is happening. They do not free range atall, always in their enclosure, eating layers mash and layers pellets until mid afternoon when they have some apple/greens or mixed corn etc ,Have constant access to grit with crushed egg shell added. They all seem very healthy and are getting very tame..........Just seems strange to me that she lays every day ,bless her, but with lots of duff eggs. Thaks for reading and any advice would be great !

[Redwing]

Lots of people recommend more calcium

 

If they cant absorb the calcium they are getting (and they are getting plenty by the sound of it) then that wont work

 

Some cod liver oil added to the feed will help them absorb the calcium

[LES DUNNING]

Thanks for that. Their feeder must hold about 2 to2.5 litres of mash. How much cod liver oil should i add to this.

[Redwing]

Mix it up in a bucket - a blob of cod liver oil mixed up thoroughly - the mash should still appear as dry as it normally does - a little oil goes a long way

[LES DUNNING]

Thanks a lot for the help. Got home from work today and DUSTY has laid a perfect egg again, so i will give her a few more days and if the problem persists, i will add the olive oil .

[chicken bark]

Les - people use cod liver oil not olive oil.

 

Does anyone know if adding any edible oil is better than not adding any oil at all? I ask because I don't have any cod liver oil to hand ATM but I do have Sunflower and Olive. Or should I break open an Omega 3 capsule?

[LES DUNNING]

Yes of course......Cod liver oil, must try to remember that when im at the shop. Problem with the shells still happening so will purchase some oil soon, thanks for correcting me in time