# Polish hen only lays soft shell eggs



## James_in_Utah (Feb 14, 2013)

Hi,
About two months ago, we found a white headed black polish hen on our street, and noone knew where she came from. She appears to be young. She is also very friendly and will let anyone pick her up and carry her around, so she was probably raised as a pet. Recently she started laying, and by that I mean I see egg yolk on the ground under the roost, and she will have about half of a soft shell egg hanging out of her vent. She will be struggling to expel the last of the shell. A couple of times I have brought her in, and put her in a warm bath, and used a finger to help extract the last of the eggshell. I've had to do that about three times, and the rest of the time it seems like she has successfully passed the soft eggshell. She seems to lay ever other day. Any idea why this hen doesn't form hard eggshells? They have oyster shell available, and I have them on 16% pellets. They get out for about 1 hour per day to eat bugs and grass. Other than this oddity she seems to be healthy. Any idea what a vet should charge to spay a hen? Is that even a thing? I'm just concerned that she's not passing all of the eggshell and eventually it will strart forming a calcium mass in her and kill her. Any suggestions?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Awww poor little Polish. Oyster shell is good. I used to take the dust/powder on the bottom of the bag and mix it into layer feed made wet into mush. I would also buy her some of those dried meal worms and feed her some as snack because they are 45% protein. It could be that she's malnourished. I have a Polish that has a problem on and off. I just watch her and help when I can.

My Polish generally lay every other day for 4-6 months, then sporadically for the rest of the year. So hopefully it will be break time soon.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

You can ground washed egg shells and feed it to them to increase calcium intake.I know they neuter roosters,they are called capons but I'm not sure about hens.Surely a good vet could tell you.I'm sure it won't be cheap.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

My favorite treat for my chickens used to be horse sweet feed high in unprocessed oats, and those calcium fines from the bag of oyster shell. The sweet feed would stick to anything you put in it. I guess you could even mix a bit of molasses into scratch to make it sticky and do it.


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## James_in_Utah (Feb 14, 2013)

Since she was just introduced to the flock of 6 other much larger hens, I'm not sure she's getting enough food. after a few days I noticed they were no longer pecking at her, but I don't think I've ever seen her at the feeder. When I let them out in the evening, she stays to herself, and I always turn over a big shovel of compost exposing a few dozen worms. She's all over that. I'm thinking I should isolate her for a few days to see if I can get her bulked up a little. Maybe she just doesn't like lay pellets. She's still laying busted soft eggs every other day. I've never had a hen with this problem before.


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## James_in_Utah (Feb 14, 2013)

Last night I saw her lay a blob of an egg that was only yolk and white. No shell at all. I'm concerned that the shell is forming a big calcium mass inside her. I think I'll try to find a vet that knows about chickens.


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