Yesterday we were worried about Snow. She had the posture we have seen many times before. A humped shape to her back and tail down whereas she usually has her tail straight up. We recognise this as having a problem getting an egg laid.
Snowflake, Snow’s predecessor laid big eggs for her size and when coming in to lay on her second year couldn’t get her egg laid and we lost her. I had always been thankful that Snow laid tiny torpedo shaped eggs which meant that it was unlikely she would suffer the same fate so this was rather worrying. I wondered if she had produced a bigger egg and was struggling to lay it.
At bedtime I perched Snow in the chicken shed and she stayed perched. I hoped that in the morning there would be an egg under her roost spot. In the morning Snow was back to her usual self.
When I looked in the chicken shed sure enough there was something under Snow’s roost spot. It wasn’t a larger egg after all, it was if anything even smaller than her usual eggs but it was soft shelled.
This is unusual because up to now even the tiniest eggs have had a yolk. It is very odd and not something we have come across before.
The second soft shell was as thick and tough as the outer one so not the membrane. Also for two days before this Snow had sat in the nest box but come out without laying. I hope this is just a blip and next time she will be back to normal.
Luckily I have some liquid calcium that can be added to the water. This product wasn’t available when we have had problems with soft shelled eggs in the past. Pippinchick recommended it and sold me some last time I had chickens from them.
I have added it to the water straight away in the hope that by the time Snow lays again she will have absorbed some extra calcium.
In other news Gold has gone broody again already. This seems very soon to be broody again but she has been laying her eggs in quick succession. She laid seven eggs in ten days, laying sometimes two days in a row and sometimes three days in a row. She only took a one week break last time so I am hoping it will be the same this time.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Interesting advice from Pippinchick – do hope it’s effective and that the next egg will be normal. I have 2 broodies atm, but am closing off the nest boxes after the afternoon feed and egg collection.
I have delayed replying to this comment because the next day got even weirder. I am part way through writing the next post but delaying it to see to what happens today so watch this space for the next instalment.
How strange to have two girls laying strange eggs.
Not two girls. They were both Snow’s eggs. The first time she laid these soft shelled eggs, one inside the other. The next time she laid she laid the hard shelled egg inside the soft shelled egg.