Shell advice needed please

[Ger-annie-um]

Hi, we've had our 4 birds for a couple of years now, 2 columbian black tails, 1 light sussex and a black rock. Our problem is that despite using layers pellets with added grit and putting down extra grit we are still getting very thin shelled eggs. Can't have a boiled egg (which I love) because the shell cracks almost immediately. What are we doing wrong?

[Nicos]

We put down crushed oyster shell which we buy from the same place as we get the layers pellets from.
Also, any egg shells are washed and put into the oven to bake and then crushed to a powder, and added to a mash for their morning treat( along with garlic powder / spice or whatever else we feel they need)

[Scarlet]

As Nicos has said baked crushed eggshells are a good source of calcium for strong shells or you can buy oyster shell.
There are two types of poultry grit. Grit which is used for grinding down food (perhaps you are just using this?) and Oystershell grit ( includes calcium to help form strong egg shells) mix the two together.
Hybrids can often produce soft shells in the beginning and end of the laying season, it may well change over the next month.

[Nicos]

My older chooks lay thin shelled eggs too- but I doubt that's your problem if you acquired them at POL?

[Nicos]

Just done a bit of a goooglre for you.
Various places suggest overweight, lack of protein or vitamins. As your gals are on a complete mix ( is it a decent quality one?) I'd assume they should be getting the correct nutrients.


If it's all the gals then I'd presume that there may be the diet intake /weight combination.

Have they recently refeathered???

[Nicos]

Oh...are you giving them a lot of treats??..if so they may be deficient in the vitamins and minerals which they would normally eat when on a pellet diet only.

[Ger-annie-um]

When we bought them they were POL. They are on a complete mix (layers pellets) which we get from the local country store and are supposed to be a good make. They don't get an awful lot of treats, just a half cup of mixed corn or cabbage leaves or leftover cooked veg but they don't get them every day. OH thinks they might be a touch overweight as they really wolf down anything they can get their beaks on. We take up the feeder mid afternoon as they make such a mess scattering the pellets so they clear up the fallen pellets.
What vitimins and minerals are recommended? And thank you all for your help

[Nicos]

I hear marmite in very small quantities can boost vitamin B- spread thinly on toast just for a few days.
Never tried it myself.

Dried cat food for a few days can boost their protein- (personally I'd prefer to give them pumpkin with seeds and mealworms as they are more natural- or even scrambled egg with a bit of cod liver oil)

I'm no expert at all as far as chooks are concerned...just info I have picked up from here and a bit of extra gooogling

Might be worth having a further look for yourself so you feel happy with your choice of 'helpful treats'??

let us know how you get on!

[Scarlet]

I wouldn't pick up their feed in the afternoon. Chickens generally eat all day long.
If your only giving a small amount of corn and some greens in the afternoon they shouldn't be fat. (That's alll I give) Chickens will gobble up all treats asap and they do appear greedy. Mealworms are good as Nicos has said but they really do cost a fortune.
When did they come into lay...or have they been laying through the winter?
Is this their 3rd laying season?

[Ger-annie-um]

Went out and got some oyster grit, didn't realise that the added grit with the pellets is a different grit (one for digestion rather than shells), also bought some mealworms (they will only get these as an extra special treat - so expensive) - so thanks for the tip Nicos.
Scarlet - they really do make a hell of a mess so we take up the feed but we do put it back once they've eaten the spillage. Yes this is their 3rd laying season, they've produced the odd egg through the winter and now we are up to 2 per day from the 4 birds so I'm guessing they are only just coming back into lay.

[Scarlet]

Yes this is their 3rd laying season, they've produced the odd egg through the winter and now we are up to 2 per day from the 4 birds so I'm guessing they are only just coming back into lay.

The time of the season will definitely be adding to your problem. Another few weeks, when they're back into their laying cycle and with the added oyster shell I think you will be able to enjoy that freshly boiled egg

[Ger-annie-um]

The time of the season will definitely be adding to your problem. Another few weeks, when they're back into their laying cycle and with the added oyster shell I think you will be able to enjoy that freshly boiled egg

Eggscellent..........Thanks for the support all

[Zelenina]

I was going to tell you about the two kinds of grit - the hard grit for grinding up seeds and grains in their crops, and the calcium grit for their egg shells. But I see you've already discovered it

Some people cook used eggshells at a low temperature in the oven and then crush them and give them to the hens for some extra calcium. You could do that when you start getting proper shells. But don't give them raw because they might get the taste for egg-eating.

Another thing to do to be sure they can make full use of all the nutrients in their food is to dose them regularly for worms, even if you can't see any worms. I'm not familiar with UK poultry wormer brands, but all the chookie people on here recommend one called Flubenvet.

[Ger-annie-um]

Thanks Zelenina............... might try the egg shell trick when we get proper shells. We do use Flubenet for worming an make sure it's regularly.

[janzbro]

Ive got one hen out of 8 that lays pale almost white thin eggs, all the rest are hard and brown, they are about 2 years old now.

Ive tried most things to help, crushed egg shells, grit, oystershell , garlic, cider vinegar, nothing has improved it. I believe you can get limestone flour (a calcium supplement) but not tried that yet