4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Sarah B]

Hi all,

 

On of my squawkers (Tikka) has started to lay an egg before it is ready. Usually she does the first egg in the morning then Madras follows about an hour later.

 

In the past 2 weeks I have had 2 broken eggs in the eglu not sure who that was, but am now having Tikka lay one in the evening sometimes instead of the morning. The one she lays in the evening is a fairly paper thin shell and smaller than her usuals - I guess because its 10 hours or so early? When she does one of these she wont lay a 'proper' egg next morning.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

[surferdog]

Hi Sarah, we've had this problem with Hyacinth, our Bluebelle. She would sometimes lay two 'rubber' eggs inside half an hour in the evening and then nothing for a couple of days and then a whopper - very erratic.

 

The limestone flour I was advised to get seems to have sorted the problem (crosses everything frantically ) although it took about three weeks to settle down completely. Also seems better when they've been confined to the run for a day (I think because she has to eat the pellets and not whatever she fancies or can find or my favourite flowers )

 

The general advice seems to be

1) Keep them in the run until at least lunchtime with no treats until late afternoon

2) Add limestone flour to their food (I add to the pellets and the treats as at least I know the stuff on the treats will go down if nothing else!)

 

You can get limestone flour on ebay - it's the stuff they sell for reptiles. Good luck!

[Sarah B]

Thanks for this although they are already confined to the run Mon to Fri till 6pm and at weekends the earliest they come out is midday. They also already have limestone flour in the pellets?

 

I think I will stop the morning treat of melon though. Maybe she has a 'slack vent'? Or am I just being ridiculous

[surferdog]

Maybe she has a 'slack vent'? Or am I just being ridiculous

 

Ooooer! Hopefully somebody with more experience will be along soon!

[Sarah B]

It's like she gets into lay in the garden in the evening because she is so excited to be out and does the old egg laying posture on the lawn - on the patio etc.

 

Ive even popped her back in the next box in the eve when shes doing it but she is just so desperate to come back out and next day I find the paper evening egg on the garden or patio?