Soft shelled eggs

[crispy2019]

Hello lovey chicken keepers

I'm brand new to keeping chickens , our 4 girls hybrid point of lays have been with us for five days. We have had some hard shelled eggs but have also had some soft ones. This morning we have had two soft shells.

They are on glw goldnlay performance pellets, water with apple cider vinegar in it, access to oyster grit and mealworms thrown to them by the kids.

Is this just the move and the fact they have only just started To lay? What can I do that might help them. I love them already but it feels so alien looking after birds help 🤦‍♀️

[Woodendollymix]

Young hens when first start laying sometimes lay soft shelled eggs, or it can be their diet, but most likely that they are young.

Go easy on the mealworms, they can cause problems if you give them too much due to the protein thats in them.

It should improve as they lay more, but there is plenty of info online for you to read up on.

Enjoy your girls, they will give you endless hours of enjoyment!

[m0use]

Young chickens are more prone to it (they're just learning how to do it!) Or as the previous poster says, it could be dietary. It can also be influenced by stress - moving home, and starting a new flock will mean they are still working out who rules the roost.

Some chickens are just a little more prone to it - one of our previous ladies laid one or two soft shells per month

[DobbyTheHouseElk]

It does happen occasionally. Oyster shells help.

We use layers pellets, corn at bedtime to get them home and leave out oyster shells.

They drink normal water.

[crispy2019]

Thanks that's helpful, I'll restrict the mealworms and give things a while to calm down. Would making a mash from the layers pellets, water and oyster grit help..then it would be all mixed together ...maybe with a little natural yogurt?

[Woodendollymix]

I would just leave all food separate for now no need to mix it all up.

Hens (well all mine over the years) have all loved yogurt, just stand back otherwise you will get covered. Its a weekly treat but it is good for the digestive system.

Re the mealworms, as they are made up of 50% protein they can cause liver damage if they have to many, and they will be greedy and eat them all, same with the cracked corn, a little but no more!

[crispy2019]

Got it wooden, thanks for your advice 🐓

[Woodendollymix]

I am sure once they settle down they will be fine, they have only been with you a very short time.

[MissFoodie]

Its not their diet it's their age, mine were 16 weeks and only one has consistently laid. The other two have been on and off bullets to soft including 3 softs within 12 hrs!!!

They are now 21 weeks and settled down, only one of them doesn't lay every single day.

Think of it as starting puberty