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

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I have trawled the forum and the FAQ but am still worried .

 

Maisie laid a soft-shelled egg, which broke, on 15 November. Since then we've had 10 softies (no shell at all), a couple of which have been streaked with blood. The other two are laying fine.

 

She doesn't seem unwell at all, eating, scratching & pecking just as normal. I've not seen her lay any of the eggs so don't know if she's unhappy while it's happening .

 

I've been giving them limestone flour & crushed shells in the pellets and making sure the grit/oystershell is topped up.

 

What else can I do? I did read about Shellstim but don't know if it's still available.

Edited December 7, 2008 by Guest

[Hen Watch]

Don't know the answer to your question, but just wanted to say I got my girls from Omlet in April 07 and so they are getting old now. I get far fewer eggs but the chook who laid first, has been laying softies on and off since the Summer despite Limestone Flour. So I wonder if it's just then hen equivalent of the menopause before she packs up laying completly. She's the same as your one, eats, drinks ok, no worms, seems normal. So will be interested to hear what others think.

[KAZAROO]

If your giving extra grit; lime etc then i would maybe worm them! I used Vermex; which is recommended at once a month and even though I am sure they didn't have any worms it seems to have done the trick. I had one laying and one producing softies... wormed them all! Hey presto 5 eggs a day!

 

Saying that have you notice unusual poos at all....

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I wormed them with Flubenvet last month and haven't noticed any wriggling poo! Should I maybe do it again sooner than in 2/3 months time?

[Egluntyne]

Maybe some extra Vit D would help.

 

Codliver oil added to the pellets or a supplement such as ZolcalD (which is also a calcium supplement, so I'd lay off the limestone flour if giving this). Available online.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Thanks Egluntine . (I was hoping you'd be along .)

[Ain't Nobody Here]

After 22 days of softies, Maisie has laid a perfect egg .

 

Not sure if it's coincidence, but I gave them some cod liver oil on their corn yesterday . Need to keep doing it, in case it's not .

[Snowy]

I bought some liquid supplement - Davinova C - for mine as a couple of my older hens are regularly laying softies. Theirs are now much better, everyone elses are rock hard!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Where did you get it from, Snowy?

[Snowy]

Where did you get it from, Snowy?

From our local feed merchant ANH. Google provided this one http://www.coolpetandanimalfeedcentre.co.uk/quicko-davinova-c-456-p.asp

May be worth looking around for on line or local suppliers. It's not cheap, I got a litre bottle for just under £20!

[urbanchick]

My girls instantly go into softie mode when the temperature drops at this time of year After a few warmer days they are back to normal. Nothing I do seems to make a difference.