Have you ever noticed a broken egg?
Have you ever seen a piece of membrane in the nesting box?
Do your chicken egg shells seem lighter, and do the eggs crack much more quickly?
These are signs that your chicken hen is laying soft-shelled eggs. Laying soft eggs is a common problem for chickens; this means the egg is laid without a shell or with a very soft shell.
Chicken bodies are made to create solid and hard-shell eggs. But why do they lay soft-shell eggs? Is there any problem with their bodies?
All these confusions, questions, and thoughts will be discussed here. Let’s get started!
Why Is My Chicken Laying Soft Shell Eggs
Soft-shell eggs are a common problem in chickens. They often indicate underlying issues that must be addressed to ensure your chicken’s health and the quality of their eggs.
Laying soft-shelled eggs is often due to a calcium deficiency, stress, or health issues. Ensuring hens access calcium supplements, like oyster shells, can strengthen eggshells.
Environmental changes like warm weather can cause thin shells because chickens pant, leading to more soft or shell-less eggs in the summer, so maintaining a stable and comfortable environment for your chicken is crucial.
The age of the hen matters. Young pullets might produce weaker shells due to their age and health. Additionally, diseases like infectious bronchitis can affect shell and egg quality.
Stress from flocks, predators, extreme weather, and other factors also affect chicken productivity, disrupt their laying cycle, and produce eggs with weaker shells.
To prevent your chicken from laying soft-shelled eggs, provide a balanced diet, reduce environmental stress, and monitor their health regularly.
You should read this article thoroughly to the end to fully understand the reasons and solutions for soft-shell eggs.
Why Are My Chickens Laying Runny Eggs
Chickens laying runny eggs can worry chicken keepers. This can happen for a few reasons, like not getting enough nutrients, having environmental problems, or having health issues.
Here are the common reasons why your chicken lays runny eggs:
Runny egg laying can be caused by a lack of protein, calcium, water, and vitamin D, environmental factors, health issues like infections and parasites, stress from predators, noise, overcrowding, and hen age matter.
This article comprehensively discusses the causes and reasons for soft and runny eggs with solutions.
What Causes Chickens To Lay Soft Eggs
There can be many different reasons for chickens to lay soft-shell eggs. Addressing these problems at the right time is essential to ensuring the chicken’s health and the quality of the eggs.
Here are some of the most common reasons for chickens laying soft eggs:
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Continuous Egg Production
Continuously laying may sometimes be the reason for laying soft shell eggs; laying too many eggs without enough rest drains the hen’s calcium and nutrients needed for solid eggshells.
Over time, the hen’s body becomes strained, leading to weaker, thinner, and softer shells or even eggs without shells.
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Genetic Factors
Genetic factors significantly affect the quality of eggs hens produce. These factors can determine shell strength and overall egg quality and composition.
Knowing how genetics impact egg quality can help choose and breed hens that consistently lay better eggs.
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Molting
In chickens, molting is natural, losing old feathers and growing new ones. This is important for their health and productivity.
However, molting can affect egg quality and production in different ways. Depending on how it is managed, eggs may be weaker or have a soft shell, or they may stop laying eggs altogether.
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Lack of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for calcium metabolism in birds and is vital for egg development. Vitamin D helps birds absorb calcium from their diet through the intestines.
Calcium is crucial for making eggshells. Without enough vitamin D, calcium absorption is reduced, causing low calcium levels in the bloodstream, leading to weaker or soft shells.
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Shell Gland Infection
Shell gland infection, also known as egg peritonitis or salpingitis, is common in chickens, especially in laying hens. This infection can affect the quality and strength of the eggs.
Shell gland infection happens when bacteria like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, or other pathogens enter the hen’s reproductive tract.
The eggshell forms in the shell gland, or uterus. Infection here can cause inflammation and problems with egg production and quality.
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Infectious Bronchitis
Infectious Bronchitis is a highly contagious viral disease in chickens caused by the Infectious Bronchitis Virus, a coronavirus.
It affects chickens’ respiratory, reproductive, and renal systems, causing various symptoms and losses, especially in commercial poultry.
The most noticeable effect of IB on egg quality is the production of eggs with soft shells. The virus disrupts the hen’s ability to deposit calcium properly on the eggshell, resulting in fragile and easily breakable eggs.
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Calcium Deficiency
Calcium is an essential mineral for forming eggshells. Eggshells are primarily made of calcium carbonate, so adequate calcium intake is vital for the hen’s health and productivity.
Hens must get calcium from their diet or body to produce eggs. If they can’t get it from their diet, they will start taking it from their body, leading to other health problems.
Most quality layer feeds contain extra calcium; you should also provide a supplement and grit to ensure your hens get enough.
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Stress and Environmental Factors
Stress significantly affects the health and productivity of chickens, including the quality of their eggs. Poor housing conditions, predators, overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, sudden environmental changes, and human handling can cause stress in chickens.
The environment in which chickens are raised is crucial for chicken productivity. Environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and lighting, can influence egg quality and eggshell strength.
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Age of the Hen
As hens age, several physiological changes occur that can impact the quality of their eggs and the hardness of their eggshells.
Aging can cause hormonal fluctuations that impact egg production and quality. Lower hormone levels can lead to egg size, shell thickness, and overall quality irregularities.
Older hens might struggle to absorb and use calcium well, leading to softer eggs. Young hens (pullets) often lay soft-shelled eggs when they start laying.
Moreover, the hen’s reproductive system, mainly the ovaries and oviducts, experiences wear and tear over time, leading to reduced egg formation and quality efficiency.
Soft-shelled eggs in chickens can result from various other factors, including Stress from fright, Dirty and moist environments, Water shortages, Thyroid issues, and the improper use of feed additives, which can weaken eggshells and lead to soft-shelled eggs.
Why Is My Chicken Laying Weird Shaped Eggs
Weird-shaped eggs are a big deal if they happen frequently and affect all the hens. Here are some common reasons why your chicken lays weird-shaped eggs.
- Young hens might have strange shell shapes because their glands aren’t fully developed yet, but the eggs will look normal once the hens grow up.
- Strange shapes also can occur in older hens because of stress. Also, if a hen has had infectious bronchitis, it might have a damaged shell gland.
- When hens start or end their egg-laying cycle, their bodies can act up, causing unusual eggs. This happens because of changes in hormones.
- Other reasons for weird eggs include hormone imbalances, oviduct problems, laying cycle interruptions, lack of vitamins or minerals, disease, and genetics.
Most odd or weird-shaped eggs are safe to eat, but you should avoid ones that are cracked, exposed to air, or seem contaminated.
How To Make Egg Shells Stronger
To prevent soft-shell eggs or strengthen eggshells, you must look at some essential things that might weaken the eggs or soft-shell.
- Optimize Diet
To strengthen eggshells, feed your chickens high-quality food like Allen & Page Layers Crumble, which has calcium prills.
Add oyster shells and mixed grit (soluble and insoluble) to their diet. You can also put liquid calcium, like Zolcal D, in their drinking water.
Adjust the chicken feed to include more calcium and vitamin D (or natural sunlight), and adding probiotics to their daily feed can also support thicker eggshells.
- Health Check-ups
Regular veterinary check-ups are essential. A poultry vet can check your chickens’ health and find potential problems before they affect egg quality.
- Comfortable Environment
Keep your chickens happy by giving them activities like scratching, dust bathing, and foraging. These activities improve their mental and physical health, leading to better egg production.
Identify and remove sources of stress in your chickens’ environment. Provide enough space, nesting boxes, and a comfortable coop to create a safe, stress-free atmosphere.
- Hydration
Make sure your chickens always have clean and fresh water. Proper hydration is crucial for their health and can prevent softer eggshells.
- Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
Maintain a clean and comfortable coop. Regularly clean nesting boxes, replace bedding and ensure good ventilation. A clean environment reduces the risk of infections and promotes healthier egg production.
- Keep the Record
Keep track of your chickens’ laying patterns, diet changes, and significant events. This can help you spot trends and make adjustments to improve egg quality.
- Monitor Older Hens
As hens age, their nutritional needs change, and they might also not absorb calcium. Keep an eye on their health and egg production.
Consider switching older hens to a layer feed made for seniors, which has adjusted calcium levels and other nutrients.
If you notice a decline in eggshell quality, consult a vet for extra supplements or dietary changes specific to aging hens.
Chicken Soft Shell Eggs Treatment
Different types of treatment can solve the problem of laying soft shell eggs. Here are the three primary treatments you need to provide for egg-laying chicken.
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Natural Remedies
Calcium Supplements:
Soft shells can happen if there’s not enough calcium. Calcium sources like chipped limestone, oyster shells, and calcium supplements can improve eggshells.
Apple Cider Vinegar:
Putting a little apple cider vinegar in the chicken’s water can help with digestion and make them healthier, which might make their eggshells stronger.
Probiotics:
Adding probiotics to the chicken’s food can make their stomachs healthier, which might make their eggshells better.
Foods that naturally contain probiotics, or have probiotics added to them, include yoghurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread, and some cheeses.
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Dietary Adjustments
Balanced Diet:
Ensure your chickens eat a mix of food with enough calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. These are important for making strong eggshells.
High-Quality Feed:
Choose excellent and high-quality chicken food made just for egg-laying hens. It has all the right stuff they need.
Foraging:
Allowing chickens to roam and forage for insects and greens can supplement their diet with additional nutrients.
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Veterinary Interventions
Health Check-up:
Talk to a vet if the soft shells keep happening after changing their food. There might be other problems like sickness or issues with making eggs.
Hormonal Treatments:
Sometimes, vets suggest giving the chickens hormones to help them make eggs better and have stronger shells.
Diagnostic Testing:
The vet might need to do tests like blood or poop checks to find out if the chickens are missing any good stuff or if they’re sick, which could be why they’re laying weak eggs.
By these treatments, you can help address the issue of soft shell eggs in your flock and improve overall egg quality.
Can You Eat A Soft Shell Egg
People often ask whether eating soft eggs is safe or not. So, the simple answer is if the egg is cracked, don’t eat it. If the egg is whole or not broken, it’s okay to eat it.
It’s mostly safe to eat eggs with soft shells but cook them well to avoid germs and microorganisms from the shell.
Finishing
Laying soft and runny eggs is common in chickens, but this is also normal unless your chicken lays soft shell eggs frequently. The most common reason for soft eggs is calcium deficiency and stress from any environmental changes.
When your chicken lays soft shell eggs continuously, you need to address this problem by providing a balanced diet full of calcium and vitamin D. Also, remove any stressors and hazards that can affect your chicken.
You can also treat this problem by offering chicken chipped limestone, oyster shells, calcium supplements, apple cider vinegar, and Probiotics. Last, you can get help from a veterinarian to diagnose and treat your chicken hen.
Has your chicken ever laid a soft shell egg, or have you ever experienced a soft shell egg?
Feel free to share your thoughts with us. We would love to hear from you.
FAQs
Why is my hen laying soft eggs?
Your hen might be laying soft eggs due to a lack of calcium and vitamin D in her diet or experiencing stress or environmental changes.
Are eggs soft when laid?
No, when a hen lays an egg, it’s not soft. The shell, which makes it challenging, forms inside the chicken as the egg travels through its body. It gets coated around the egg and toughens up before it’s laid.
Why is only one of my chickens laying soft eggs?
If only one of your chickens is laying soft eggs, she might need more calcium and vitamin D in her diet.
What does it mean when your chickens lay soft eggs?
If your chickens are laying soft eggs, they might need more calcium or a balanced diet or are stressed.
How do I stop my chickens from laying soft shelled eggs?
To stop soft eggs, make sure your chickens stay in a calm environment and eat enough calcium. Mix 3%-4% shell powder with the chicken feed for extra calcium.
What causes chickens to lay thin shelled eggs?
Thin eggshells in chickens might mean they need more calcium or they’re stressed out. Calcium is in full-layer feeds and extras like oyster shells or limestone chips.
Are soft shell eggs safe to eat?
Soft eggs are usually okay to eat, but it’s best to look for cracks or strange things before you eat them.