Soft shelled egg

[Sue]

Advice please - my French Blue Maran had wet feathers around her vent this morning and tonight I cleaned her up and she seemed to be a little off colour - just standing around and not scratching for food with the others. I have just been down to check they have all gone to bed and found a soft shelled egg out in the run. I know it's hers. She has always laid quite hard shelled eggs, usually daily. Should I take her to the vets tomorrow for antibiotics or what should I do? Is the soft shelled egg connected to the runny droppings?

 

[Chuck]

If the soft shelled egg broke inside her, this may account for the wet around the vent. Soft shelled eggs are not uncommon and the biggest danger really is that the other hens will get a taste for eggs.

 

[E3lx]

How old is she? Soft shelled eggs often signal the beginning or the end of the laying period, but can also occur during the middle. Is she getting enough calcium? Oyster shell is very important, it gives necessary calcium for hard egg shells.
Hope this helps

 

[chrismahon]

We had a soft shelled egg laid immediately after a good egg by a hen who was outside last night in a broody run. It was caused by a fright; possibly a mink or fox. Your hen is laying soft shelled eggs for a reason. It is usually stress in my experience, either external cause like bullying or fright, or internal from illness or a change in environment, new coop, different food, a change in the pecking order. Sometimes it is diet. Might be vitamin deficiency, sometimes caused by a lack of sunlight (we've just had one of these diagnosed by a member of the forum and now OK). Rarely it is a Calcium deficiency as layers pellets should have sufficient and it would affect other birds in the flock. Sometimes it is after contracting IB (we had one of 12 afterwards).

I think yours may be internal. First thing is to check poos and crop and take it from there. Chuck may be right and wet around vent was another soft shelled egg, so two soft shelled eggs points to illness or diet. A droopy disposition points to illness.