Solitary chicken - need advice

[juprior]

Hi, I'm very new to this forum but in desperation I have turned to you all for advice.

My 3 Goldline hens are just over 2 years old and have always laid well giving us at least 1 egg a day since we bought them at point of lay. However, they have not laid for 4/5 months now, only occasionally producing a soft egg which we find them eating.

I've wormed them, increased door opening times, added calcium supplement to their water. We give them layers pellets as their main food with s"Ooops, word censored!"s thrown in as a treat each day (greens, cooked veg, etc). What else could I do?

Is this the end of the line for my goldlines? Please help...

[Chucky Mama]

What have you wormed them with?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Could they be eating the eggs? Mine were but it took me ages to realise .

[chelsea]

Also check for lice on the hens and your housing for any beasties - red mite is particularly common at this time of year.

[juprior]

Thanks for your replies.

I wormed them with Flubenvet about 4 weeks ago.

If they were eating the eggs wouldn't I find bits of shell? I've checked the box first thing in the morning and later in the day and never found any evidence but maybe thats what they are doing? I'm going to check more regularly for eggs just incase.

I'll also give them a thorough lice check.

One of the girls is definitely under the weather because she has a pale comb and messy bottom (I think she's the one who lays the soft eggs, which they do eat). I'm not sure what to do about her either. She eats well and moves around energetically but is obviously not 100%. Would you suggest a conditioner?

thanks again

Juprior

[Egluntyne]

A poultry tonic such as Life Guard might give her a bit of a boost.

 

I would cut down on the treats and keep them on pellets and water only for a few days ....with one treat only to lure them back into the run at night. You might notice a difference.

[juprior]

Checked the girls for lice today , couldn't see anything. Gave the house a thorough clean and puffed all around with red mite stuff. I'm not giving them any treats for a few days.

The little sickly hen is very light and still has pale comb, but she's eating well and is moving around in the usual way. She has got a very messy behaind tho.

Hoping for results soon, in the form of some lovely eggs.

If the girls are eating their eggs would there be any evidence such as shell or are they likely to eat all of that too?

Has anyone heard of putting in a false egg to stop them eating eggs and to encourage them to lay? Where can you get false eggs from?

[sjp]

Mine eat the softies well the yolk but unless the lay on the grass I don't always find the evidence un till the run gets turned over has they tend to bury the remains when they dig the wood chips up

[Ain't Nobody Here]

If the girls are eating their eggs would there be any evidence such as shell or are they likely to eat all of that too?

 

I wasn't very observant so there may have been bits of shell but I didn't notice them . I think because mine were laying so many softies/fragile shelled eggs they devoured them so quickly I didn't see the evidence.

 

Has anyone heard of putting in a false egg to stop them eating eggs and to encourage them to lay? Where can you get false eggs from?

 

I bought two of these. They have done the trick (along with the mustard in egg shells!)

[poachedegg]

Has anyone heard of putting in a false egg to stop them eating eggs and to encourage them to lay? Where can you get false eggs from?

 

I noticed they were selling them in Pets At Home yesterday.

[juprior]

Thanks to everyone for advice. I have noticed my little sick girl has got a slightly pinker comb now I've stopped giving s"Ooops, word censored!"s. Still no eggs tho. Going to get some fake eggs for one last attempt at solving mystery. Then what?

How much s"Ooops, word censored!" food does everyone tend to give their birds. I've always given them leftover salad and cooked veg each day but maybe this is too much?