Chicken Health | SOFT SHELLED EGGS
Why is My Hen Laying a Soft Shelled Egg?
A hen can lay an egg with a soft shell or an egg that has no shell. These eggs can be very misshapen.
A lot of the time they will usually be broken before you get to them because they tend to be very fragile and break easily.
Why?
The odd soft shelled egg is nothing to worry about and is fairly common especially in birds that are point of lay. However, if one of your chickens is regularly laying a soft or shell less egg then there may be something wrong with her diet. The most common reason for soft shelled eggs is a lack of calcium. 95% of an egg shell is made from calcium so it is very important your chickens have lots of calcium in their diet. You can ensure that they have enough calcium in their diet by giving them in addition to their feed ration a shell grit. If you have a constant supply available your chickens should eat the amount they require.
If you have been feeding your hens a few too many treats or food scraps this could also be why they are laying soft shelled eggs. The more treats you feed your hens the less they will eat their layers pellets which is where they get their all-important protein and calcium from. Soft shelled eggs can be a sign of stress from other underlying health problems. Such as parasites or diseases. So if adding more calcium to their diet and feeding them less treats doesn’t work then keep a watchful eye on your hen/s to try and figure out what else could be causing the problem.
Hot weather especially summer heat, can also be the reason. Also older hens are known to lay more soft shelled eggs.
If your hens are experiencing issues with soft eggs we have some great products that can make a big difference!
Top Supplements For Good, Strong Egg Shells 😊🥚
Strengthen Shells
Agrivite Enhance is an intensive calcium, magnesium and vitamin D3 liquid supplement for developing bone strength, egg shell quality and to support feathering. Easy to dose just add to water. Dilute 5mls per 1L of drinking water.
Support Laying
Agrivite Poultry Pep is a tasty aromatic blend of minerals, spices and vitamin C that has a whole host of benefits to help support all round condition and encourage birds to eat their ration. Supports good eggshell quality and laying performance. Helps hens maintain condition during extreme hot or cold weather.
Strengthen Shells
Nettex Mineral Boost is a complementary mineral feed specially formulated to improve egg quality, assist digestion and provide nutritional support for laying hens. Feed 1 teaspoon per 1kg of layers pellets or mash twice weekly. In period of increased stress feed daily for one week.
Available 24/7
Make shell grit available to all every day. The intake of calcium from the shells helps strengthen the shell of the chicken eggs. The hard bits act as teeth in the gizzard to assist in grinding up the feed and aids digestion and trace elements from the sea will be beneficial to their diet. Best not mixed in with the feed.