Unsecure chicken perches

[Bramble]

Hi all!

I have had three ex batts since July last year. For most of last year I would get two eggs a day plus a softy (almost no shell at all). I don't know if it was the same hen that always layed the softy, or whether they took it in turns (and I'm not too worried, eggs are a "bonus" anyway).

They had a bit of a break from laying over the winter, well, they slowed down anyway, but since late January I've been getting three good eggs a day. Trouble is, in the last couple of days, we're back to two good eggs and one softy (well, more of a thin shelled egg, that cracks as soon as it's stood on, but much more shell than was on the softies last year).

Should I just accept that one chuck is always going to lay softies, or is it worth a concerted effort with limestone flour/codliver oil etc to try to get her back on track (still don't know which is laying the softies or whether they take it in turns!). They are wormed regularly.

I don't mind either way, they are pets and the eggs are a bonus, but it would be nice to save the "culprit" going to the trouble of laying softies!?

Any tips, please? Thanks everyone.

[Alis girls]

Cleaning today I found what looked like someone had peeled the very soft shell off an egg in the Eglu. How much cod liver oil do you give them? I wormed them in dec and otherwise ok.

[Chucky Mama]

Just be a little careful supplementing with calcium as if they don't need it it is not put to any good use or stored positively by their bodies. Of course your other hens are fine and so giving added calcium to food with supplement them all. .If you want to supplement a general supplement such as Lifeguard is good which doesn't concentrate on any one element in excess. If you want to give calcium, give one form only. Choices are crushed baked eggshells (my favourite), limestone flour and vitamin D (in the form of cod liver oil) and liquid supplements such as Zolcal D or Colocal D (follow dosing advise, don't just give a 'dollop'). I have a hen that started laying softies after treatment for a leg injury. Zolcal D produced very rough k"Ooops, word censored!"bly eggs and baked eggshell produce either a good egg or a fragile shell I suppose depending on how she is and/or how much eggshell she has taken in.It is also worth bearing in mind that we jump to the conclusion that softies are a sign of low calcium intake but this is not always the case.