My eco solution to rat problems

[lisa33]

I adopted Pepper, a Miss Pepperpot, at the beginning of May. Helen, her previous mum, said she was about 3 years old.

 

On Friday (about 10 mins before Andyman & I were to leave for the airport ) Pepper laid a shell less egg. We quickly cleaned her up and she seemed a bit better when we left.

 

My friend, who popped round to look after them, said that Pepper was fine on Saturday and Sunday when she came round (although she didn't lay which I was not surprised at). But when we got home on Sunday evening she (Pepper, not my friend) was hunched up in the run and refused to move.

 

I crawled in and got her out and sat her on a towel on my knee. I gave her a grape with some flubnevet on it but she wouldn't eat or drink any water. About five minutes later she 'laid' a pile of egg white and jumped off my knee and ran out into the garden. She seemed ok for about 15 minutes and then she went and sat by the water dish taking occasional sips.

 

At 9.15 (after the others had gone to bed) she came out of the run and sat by the back door and laid a very soft shelled egg with what appeared to be a lump of scrunched up shell stuck to it. (I can post a picture when I get home tonight) She then ran off to bed. I thought that she would perk up after that and Monday and Tuesday she seemed fine.

 

However this morning she did not come out of the eglu when I opened the run door. I opened the hatch and she was hunched up on the bars. I stroked her for a couple of minutes and she got up and wandered away. On the bars was another soft shelled egg. She had some water and then went back to sit on the nest, which is where she was when I had to leave to come to work.

 

Is this just the end of her egg productivity or is she sick?

 

I put limestone flour, diatom and garlic powder in their food and at the moment they have Battles Poultry drink in their water.

 

Is there anything else I can do to help her feel better. I'm not bothered if she doesn't lay anymore eggs.

 

Sorry for the ramble, but although I have only had her a few months, she is such a lovely chicken and a favourite at my hen parties as she allows everyone to cuddle her for ages.

 

Poor Pepper.

[Gallina]

It's probably just the end of egg activity. My first Pepperpot had occasional shell-less eggs for about six months after she stopped laying, and the other hens enjoyed her company very much.

 

The average age that hybrids reach is three years, so yours is doing well to have laid this long. I hope she now enjoys a long and happy retirement.

[lisa33]

Thanks Gallina,

 

I hope she has a long and happy retirement too.

 

She is really lovely.