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

[dancing cloud]

Joy, who I have owned with the others for all of 8 weeks, has always laid large pale lumpy-bumpy eggs. I know supermarkets would reject these, but everyone getting their eggs always looks for the Joy-egg in their box and feels very deprived if they don't get one!

 

3 out of 4 of Joy's last eggs have been softies, one with no shell at all, and I am wondering if she is coming to the end of her laying life?

 

She seems perfectly healthy and happy in herself, drinking well and eating enough for a small horse , getting into mischief. They all freerange when I get home and at weekends, and there is always oyster shell for them, and plenty of Poultry Spice, as well as the usual corn and grape treats in the evening.

 

I've got some Flubenvet and will worm them all as a precaution, and was wondering if other ex-batt owners (or anyone else for that matter) had experienced anything similar? I don't actually mind if she never lays another egg in her life, I'm just a very new chicken-owner being nosey.

 

Joy was almost totally bald 8 weeks ago and was still the cutest and most immediately cuddly of the 6. It was like stroking a warm oven-ready chicken, but she always liked being touched and snuggling up - probably because she was cold! Her feathers are steadily growing back, and she is now very cheeky and naughty as well cuddly. I'm certainly not going to stop loving her just because she doesn't lay eggs

 

Any ideas out there?

[stoice]

As you say she's getting her feathers back then maybe she's going through a moult. This usually knocks egg laying for six. One of my ex-batts moulted last month and has now got a full set of frilly knickers but only ever lays about every other day. My other ex-batt lays the same amount but still is noticeably bald.

 

They are both quite prone to softies (Just a membrane around the yolk or VERY thin shells), I give them limestone flour in their feed every other day and it seems to help. Maybe try this? You can sprinkle over pellets or add to mash or porridge. Also ensure she's getting enough grit and oyster shell (Mine prefer to scratch for it but you could out a tub for them to take as and when)

 

Hope this helps, if not I'm sure someone far more knowledgeable will enlighten!!

[abwsco]

Out of our 6 ex batts, one laid the smallest egg ever one day and doesn't appear to have laid another since, unless shes eating them. We've another one who has also either stopped laying as well or eats all of it as I sometimes just find a damp patch on the floor as that's where shes laid in the past and finally Lurleen aka Mrs Floppy Hat lays all sorts of odd eggs - soft shell, no shell, part shell, long thin things with what looks like an umbilical chord attached and then normal eggs

 

I do find if mine have had too many treats that we get a run of these odd eggs from her. Perhaps cut out all the treats and see if that helps