arowland17 Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 I'm hoping someone will be able to help as we're a bit worried about our 2 chickens. We've had them since last July and apart from a couple of soft eggs when they first started laying, after adding grit+oyster shell to their feed have never had a soft one again, and usually get 1 egg a day from each hen with the odd day off. However, for the last week we've suddenly had a load of soft eggs from both hens - I've added more grit to their feed, although it looks like it's being eaten, and yesterday I used all the eggs we had left and baked the shells and fed them those - we have had in a whole week 2 soft eggs a day and twice have had 1 very large white very thin shelled egg which is easy to break. I'm really not sure what the problem is with them, they are both eating and drinking fine, they don't free-range that much as we're at work all day so it's only at weekends and in the evenings when we're around so are eating their pellets as normal and I fill the grub up as often as I always have. They both run around fine, are as vocal as always in the mornings!! and their combs are red and upright so they don't seem ill. Today we've noticed them dosing, they both perched on a cupboard in the garden and preen their feathers (as they normally would) but they started falling asleep and were sitting down all fluffed up...not sure if hens do this normally, we're not usually in during the day so don't see what they get up to, and usually get them in and out of the run over the weekend as they get put away when we go out so not usually out as long as they have been today. I've ordered flubenvet in case they've got worms, but would be really really grateful if anyone could offer any advice...if it was just one laying the odd soft egg I wouldn't worry but it's been almost a week now and seems to be both of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Tricky one, Arrowland. I can understand why you're concerned but I can't really say what might be wrong, if anything . You don't mention limestone flour - that might be worth a try as it's apparently a very easily absorbed form of calcium and is good for soft eggs. You can get it from ebay (I got mine from * here *). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted May 4, 2008 Author Share Posted May 4, 2008 Brilliant, thanks for that, I'll buy some today - willing to try everything and anything as it's so sudden and unlike them, they've laid almost every day since they started laying and then all of a sudden it's all gone pear shaped! Thanks for the quick reply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 .... I've added more grit to their feed, . they don't get their calcium from the grit, that's just to aid their digestion. We give our oyster shell as well as grit as the oyster shell gives them a calcium boost. we put it in a pot so they can help themselves as they know how much they need to eat. if you're adding it to the food at your discretion, you might not be giving them enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 They sound like they are doing the same kind of things that mine have been doing for the last week (we only got chooks last Saturday so have been watching them avidly). Mine sit and dose and preen all the time - and then they have their sessions of scratching etc for worms or anything they can find in their run. Sounds normal to me, especially on the hot days we have had over the last few days. Try the calcium in a separate pot, I do that to although not sure how well it works yet as only had one egg so far - it was perfect with lovely shell though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 They do sit and doze during the day, so don't be worried about that - I had never seen mine sit still to begin with, because like you I am out most of the day, and if they saw me at the back door they would start doing their best impression of caged birds desperate to be released! It was quite a surprise the first time I saw them sitting down. I would only be worried if they are doing it for very long periods or if they aren't interested in treats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Their combs are red you say...that is a sign of good health. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Definitely worm them when your flubenvet arrives as then you will know you've done all the "easy" bits (grit, calcium/limestone flour, worms...). It's good practice to work at least twice a year anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Definitely worm them when your flubenvet arrives as then you will know you've done all the "easy" bits (grit, calcium/limestone flour, worms...). It's good practice to work at least twice a year anyway. I think working at least twice a year is a good strategy Just wanted to say that my chickens are dozing more than usual at the moment - and we have had had the softie problem for a while too. I wondered if the dozing might be a combination of longer days and stormy weather feeling in the air? As for the softies we seem to be getting over it with the help of the recommended routine ie worming with Flubenvet and feeding limestone flour, oyster shell, poultry spice. Some of the shells are still quite thin though so we are going to keeop up with the limestone flour for a while. As long as your girls are mostly still doing all the normal chickeny things most of the time - eating, drinking, scratching, fighting over treats etc I would not worry too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted May 5, 2008 Author Share Posted May 5, 2008 Thanks so much for all the replies, I'm going to buy a clip-on bowl for the grit and oyster shell later as they kick it over when I put a bowl on the run floor! They still come running for treats the second the back door opens so until that stops I will assume they're healthy and just going through a funny faze!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Good plan! they don't get their calcium from the grit, that's just to aid their digestion. This is incorrect if you are giving them Mixed Poultry Grit. You will notice that it contains fragments of oyster and cockle shells, which are a source of calcium, as well as the assorted stones to grind the food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 They still come running for treats the second the back door opens so until that stops I will assume they're healthy and just going through a funny faze!! too many treats can mean they don't eat enough pellets/mash and therefore might not be getting enough calcium form their normal food. Just a little bit of something in the late afternoon should be okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
