Laying Hen FAQs: The Broody Hen, Soft-Shell Eggs and More
Flock Management : Layer Nutrition
Flock Management : Egg Production
Laying Hen FAQs: The Broody Hen, Soft-Shell Eggs and More
You’ve celebrated the arrival of your first farm fresh eggs and your hens are laying breakfast daily – or so you thought. Have eggs suddenly gone missing from the nesting box? Is your hen moody and taking a vacation from laying eggs? Don’t fret. There are ways to get laying hens back on track.
Hens are creatures of habit and may need encouragement to lay consistently. A comfortable nesting box environment and the right nutrition will help keep hens laying strong, so your family can enjoy farm fresh eggs each day.
Here are three commonly asked questions about laying hens:
Some flock raisers allow hens to go broody to raise baby chicks. It can be problematic if you aren’t planning on hatching chicks because broody hens stop laying eggs after they’ve made their clutch. If she is overly protective of her eggs, wear protective gloves when breaking a broody hen since she may peck your hands as you collect eggs under her.
Collect eggs as often as possible to get a broody hen laying again. If the hen has a favorite nesting box, close it off to limit access. At night, move the broody hen from the nesting box to the roost with the rest of the hens. She’s less likely to return to the nesting box while it’s dark.
When all else fails, give the hen a change of scenery. Isolate the hen away from the nesting boxes in a wire cage or separate area of the coop. Provide her feed and water and give her a vacation for 2-4 days. You can return her to the coop if she lays an egg. You may need to repeat this process a few times if she continues to be broody. Persistence is key to success.
It usually takes 24 hours for an egg to develop. Occasionally, high-producing breeds can lay an egg in less time, resulting in a soft-shell egg. Unhealthy hens typically produce lower quality eggs and can even stop laying altogether.
The Oyster Strong® System, exclusively in Purina® premium and organic layer feeds, provides all the hens in your flock with our unique blend of oyster shell, vitamin D and manganese required for strong shells and healthy hens.
If you notice a trend with hens laying soft-shell eggs, there could be another issue at hand. Common culprits include:
You’ve celebrated the arrival of your first farm fresh eggs and your hens are laying breakfast daily – or so you thought. Have eggs suddenly gone missing from the nesting box? Is your hen moody and taking a vacation from laying eggs? Don’t fret. There are ways to get laying hens back on track.
Hens are creatures of habit and may need encouragement to lay consistently. A comfortable nesting box environment and the right nutrition will help keep hens laying strong, so your family can enjoy farm fresh eggs each day.
Here are three commonly asked questions about laying hens:
1. How do I get chickens to lay eggs in nesting boxes?
Use these tips to help teach hens to lay their eggs in nesting boxes:- Use a fake egg: Place golf balls or decoy eggs in nesting boxes to help hens understand where to lay.
- Add thick bedding: Line each box with a thick layer of straw, or other bedding, to keep eggs clean, cushioned and unbroken.
- Size boxes correctly: Provide a 1-cubic foot nesting box for every four or five hens to help prevent competition and minimize egg breakage or eating.
- Place boxes properly: Ensure all boxes are uniform and off the floor in the darkest corner of the coop.
2. What is a broody hen — and how do you break one?
A broody hen is a hen who decides to sit on a clutch of eggs day and night. Hens go broody because hormones drive their instinct to hatch chicks, even when the eggs are not fertilized.Some flock raisers allow hens to go broody to raise baby chicks. It can be problematic if you aren’t planning on hatching chicks because broody hens stop laying eggs after they’ve made their clutch. If she is overly protective of her eggs, wear protective gloves when breaking a broody hen since she may peck your hands as you collect eggs under her.
Collect eggs as often as possible to get a broody hen laying again. If the hen has a favorite nesting box, close it off to limit access. At night, move the broody hen from the nesting box to the roost with the rest of the hens. She’s less likely to return to the nesting box while it’s dark.
When all else fails, give the hen a change of scenery. Isolate the hen away from the nesting boxes in a wire cage or separate area of the coop. Provide her feed and water and give her a vacation for 2-4 days. You can return her to the coop if she lays an egg. You may need to repeat this process a few times if she continues to be broody. Persistence is key to success.
3. Why is my hen laying soft-shell eggs?
Your hen may be laying soft-shell eggs because of a calcium or nutritional deficiency. They can also result from hen age, stress, pecking-order issues, or too many treats diluting a complete layer diet.It usually takes 24 hours for an egg to develop. Occasionally, high-producing breeds can lay an egg in less time, resulting in a soft-shell egg. Unhealthy hens typically produce lower quality eggs and can even stop laying altogether.
The Oyster Strong® System, exclusively in Purina® premium and organic layer feeds, provides all the hens in your flock with our unique blend of oyster shell, vitamin D and manganese required for strong shells and healthy hens.
If you notice a trend with hens laying soft-shell eggs, there could be another issue at hand. Common culprits include:
- Hen age: As chickens near the end of their laying years (4-5 years old), they tend to lay larger eggs with thinner shells. If you have an older flock, think about introducing younger birds to collect plenty of quality eggs.
- Pecking order: A bird low in the pecking order may not get enough to eat, particularly during cold weather when birds ramp up feed intake to help stay warm. Keep the peace in your flock by providing alternative places to peck, like a Purina® Flock Block®.
- Predators: Occasionally, a predator may investigate your flock at night. The stress of the encounter can trigger hens to lay before the eggshell has a chance to fully form.
- Treats: Extra grains or scraps can disrupt the balanced nutrition in layer feed, which may leave birds lacking nutrients. Keep the 90-10 rule in mind: Limit treats to less than 10% of their overall diet or provide a healthy treat, such as Purina® Farm to Flock® Larvae for Ladies™ hen treats or Purina® Farm to Flock® Protein Blend for Hens treats. If you see a change in production or eggshell quality, cut back on treats for a week to see if production improves. You may need to adjust how much you are spoiling your ladies.
- Nutrition: At least 90% of your laying hen’s total diet should be a complete layer feed. Choose a layer feed with the Purina® Oyster Strong® System to help your hens lay strong and stay strong. Which layer feed Oyster Strong® System is right for your flock?
- Purina® Farm to Flock® Layer Hen Food for whole-food goodness featuring a colorful medley of whole grains and engaging textures
- Purina® Layena® Feed for strong shells and healthy birds – available in pellets, crumbles or pearls
- Purina® Layena® Omega-3 Feed for more omega-3 in your eggs
- Purina® Layena® High Protein Layer Feed to support your hens’ active lifestyle and egg production
- Purina® Organic Layer Feed for organic flocks — available in pellets or crumbles
Want strong eggshells for your flock? Level up with Purina® Oyster Strong® System and sign up for the Purina® Feed Trial. Looking for tips on the layer stage of hen parenting? Get the Chick Care Guide for more tips on your laying ladies.
