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

[Leicester_H]

Hi

Sorry this is a LONG post.................

 

At Easter, my husband built a nice wooden platform for the eglu and run to sit on – it even has casters so that it can be easily moved. The bark chippings keep so much dryer – it great, so much nicer for the chickens. And it must be pretty fox-proof.

 

However, last night we were discussing the ‘problems’ we’d been having with Chikki () and Boo (Mrs P) over the summer. We got them from Omlet Easter 2007 (so now 20 months old approx)

 

Chikki had a phase of laying mostly soft eggs. Now she is laying about 5 eggs a week mostly with paper thin shells and often one soft egg a week. She has moulted a bit and her neck is a little bare (not much – but looks a bit scruffy).

 

Boo now hasn’t laid for about a month. She had a bit of a moult (about a month ago) but looks fine now – except her comb seems to have shrunk.

 

We wormed them about a month ago. They get a teaspoon of limestone flour in their treat most days (not too much treat I don't think - given late afternoon). They have poultry spice and garlic powder in their food (organic layer pellets) every day. They have a separate bowl of grit

 

Neither seem to have anything living on them (eg lice) – I check each weekend.

 

They are lively (very!), run around the garden, pace up and down etc. and don’t seem ill in themselves. Eating (everything in sight!) and drinking. No single thing is worrying – but overall they don’t seem quite right.

 

Last night we realised that all this started about the time the eglu was put onto the wooden platform. The wood was pre-treated in some way to prevent it rotting (apparently they are gravel (?) boards - intended to be used at bottom of fences) . Could these chemicals be affecting them ? There is a layer of bark chipping on top but they do pull the food out of the grub and eat from the floor. Could they be picking up enough to affect them ? We were speculating – does anyone on here KNOW about these things (we don’t want to dismantle it all if it's not likely to be the cause)

 

Thanks in advance, H

[The Dogmother]

I don't think that the tannelised timber could be the cause unless they were actually living IN it.

 

You seem to be doing everything else that I would suggest.. limestone flour etc. I know that this doesn't help, but it may be down to their age; hybrids are bred to lay fast and furious for a couple of years, gradually tailing off after that, but these general timings differ from one hen to the next. This intensive laying means that they can suffer from what my poultry vet calls 'womb exhaustion', basically, various parts of their egg laying tackle wear out and don't work so well. The shell gland is usually one of the first signs that something isn't functioning as well as it ought.

 

If they are otherwise fit and well, then just keep them dosed as you are and enjoy the eggs that you do get from them. It may be time to think about 'stock rotation' and getting in some lovely new girls to support the egg supply as your older girls start to tail off into genteel retirement.

[Leicester_H]

hybrids are bred to lay fast and furious for a couple of years, gradually tailing off after that, but these general timings differ from one hen to the next.

 

They laid "fast and furious " for about ONE year - obviously I still love them but a few more eggs would be nice.

 

Its odd they BOTH have stopped/reduced egg production - makes me think something else is going on ?? but maybe not - who knows with chickens !!

 

Anyone else used any wood treated so as not to rot ??

 

H

[The Dogmother]

Most wooden coops are made with treated wood, which is why I doubted that it would be a factor.

[Leicester_H]

good point - thanks

[Snowy]

Hazel, my gingernuts are going through the same sort of thing, I got them at the end of 2006 so only a little older than yours. Thin shells, less eggs, moulting - I find when they moult they go 'off' a bit, almost back to pre laying days, not as friendly and don't crouch, combs shrunken and grey. They do go red again when they start laying again. I got some Davinova C from Welland valley feeds - seems to have improved Florrie's softies a little. I think moulting takes it out of them a bit. Hope they pick up again

[Leicester_H]

Hi again,

We know its unlikely to be a problem but it may contain "Ooops, word censored!"nic (and the like) which can leach out if wet.

 

So we have decided to play it super-safe and cover the boards with exterior grade ply wood.(aren't we soft??). I have seen many animal houses advertised as being from this and claiming it contains no chemicals.

 

Anyone any opinions ??

 

H

[chickenanne]

I imagine that it's jsut co-incidence with the timing of the problems - it doesn't seem likely that it's a chemical from the wood.

I have read that roosting bars shouldn't be too high because when they jump off it can jar their innards somehow (read this ages ago, maybe in "Backyard Chicken Keeping" or other Katie Thear book- sorry to be vague!). I wonder if they could be jumping off your structure and causing some problem that way?

[Leicester_H]

II have read that roosting bars shouldn't be too high because when they jump off it can jar their innards somehow

Its about 5 or 6 inches. They have perches in the run which are higher , and they happily jump up and down from these - so I don't think it should be a problem ??

We have the ply wood now, so if weather is fine at weekend, we'll be re-doing their run.

 

Then, I'll sit them down and have a good chat to them, to see what the problem is !!!

 

Here's hoping, H

[Hen Watch]

Hazel, I was just about to post the same thing and our chooks are EXACTLY the same age. Mine arrived from omlet in April 2007. Laid every day, all through last winter. Until 2 months ago and it tailed off. Now I'm getting 1 egg every other day from 4 hens. And despite vast amounts of limestone flour they lay softies every day and eat them.

 

No moult - just a few neck feathers, wormed regularily (and again last week), no lice I can see etc. So I am assuming that we have reached "chicken menopause".....?????

Shame as I'm not getting anymore as my set up isn't big enough. I may just have to start buying eggs again and look after my ladies into their retirement. Hopefully that is what it is and nothing more sinister, they are their normal selves other than laying?