One of my ex batts has laid a soft shelled egg.

[pinkmagic1]

We picked up 2 ex batts last weekend. One was in fairly good shape but the other was allot scraggier and aggressive towards me and my existing hens. Over the last week they have improved so much and are now behaving totally how hens should and have been laying an egg each most days since they arrived. She is also now much less aggressive. They are fed layers mash and it states that it is completely balanced and contains oyster shell grit. They have started to have some table scraps and greens too, and I am giving them poultry boost in their water to build them up. However, today the scraggier one laid a misshapen, soft shelled egg. What could be causing this? Do you think she needs additional oyster shell?

[ChasingSquirrels]

When we got our (POL not ex-battery) they laid a few soft-shell eggs before they settled down.
I would just wait a bit and see if it continues.

[Flightattendant9]

Oh poor mite...I never knew you could take in ex battery hens
I might think about having some.

I have to admit I had trouble with your title for a few dim witted seconds...I was thinking 'soft boiled'

[thesockmonsterofdoom]

mine quite often lay softies, I dont think it is a problem as long as they sometimes lay ok eggs, I tend to bake the shells of eggs for ten minutes in the oven, crush them up and mix them in with the feed, as well as being good for forming eggs this also helps grind up there food in the croup.

[TheProvincialLady]

Am I the only one who is on the point of tears?

[thesockmonsterofdoom]

sad tears or funny tears, dont get it

[TheProvincialLady]

Tears of joy that the poor battery hens have a lovely new home, tears of sadness that they lay funny eggs and don't know how to be hens. Not being sarcastic, I am a soppy get!

[thesockmonsterofdoom]

thats nice, I am getting some ex batts on Saturday so the emotion is definatley not lost on me.
Apparently you have to teach them how to roost and where to lay their eggs and everything, my mum is knitting some jumpers for mine.

[TheProvincialLady]

Oh Lord I'll be wailing in a minute - jumpers! Presumably they are in a dreadful condition How anyone can buy battery eggs is beyond me. We only buy organic and always have, even when very poor. I just could not live with myself. Apart from anything else they taste horrible. Anyay, rant over, hope your hens settle in quickly

[thesockmonsterofdoom]

I will try and put some photo's up when they are here.

[TheProvincialLady]

Now I'm wondering how you teach a hen to roost. Do you have to pretend to be a hen and sit on some straw?

[stealthsquiggle]

Not the same problem, but hoping you can help - one of our 4 expensive spoiled non-rescue hens keeps laying soft-shell eggs (not 100% of the time, but maybe 50%) - any ideas - clearly they all have the same diet, and the others are laying reliably.

[IcantbelieveImForty]

have you tried limestone flour ? a scoop add to their feed, with a tsp of cod liver oil, mixed up, should make a big difference.

They are lacking calcium, so this helps. Growers meal is also good for exbatts, helps recharge them.