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[themoomin]

Hi gang,

 

I have 7 birds - 5 layers, an ancient bantam, and a cockerel named Colin.

 

MY problem is one of the hens is consistently laying eggs with practically no shell.

 

I want to work out which hen it is, and having segregated 2 last night know it isn't one of them.

 

HOWEVER, all my hens look the same. SO, any suggestions on how I can mark or tag the ones that I've tested so I know which are laying well?

 

Ideas I've has so far are a blob of paint, nail polish on a claw, or a plastic bag tie on a leg.

 

Of course this would be temporary til I work out which is ill!!

 

Help much appreciated,

Kate X

[Ain't Nobody Here]

You can buy leg rings for hens .

 

They mostly seem to be sold in huge numbers but they sell a pack of 10 here. They come in different sizes so you'd need to work out which you need (asking here would be best - I have no idea ).

[sari]

I am proud of myself as I bought a pack of rings on Wednesday, and ringed one of mine yesterday..after owning chooks for a week! It is a slide apart/slide back ring, for a med/large fowl. I have 2 sussex who are virtually identical, so put a purple one on patty,, and trimmed her wing too...Now I know it's Selma who is the grumpy one of the two! Selma needs her wing trimming now....

[the bradley bunch]

yep don't use any paint or varnish incase it's toxicity is absorbed through their foot or from pecking at it (chooks tend to peck at anything colourful or new!). leg rings is 100% the way to go. you may be able to pick some up from your local pet shop for around 50p each, or flyte so fancy (online) have very speedy delivery, i use them all the time and have always had items come the next morning. i think the minimum amount is a pack of 30 but you'll only pay around £3 for this quantity.

i've had to use different coloured leg rings on our ex-bats since we got them because it's the only way my hubby can tell them apart!

 

for large fowl (i.e. ex-bats) i think it's leg size 16mm (you can get 18mm but i think this is for more like turkeys!), and for bantams you want leg size 12mm.

 

mollie is prob the best person for leg sizes as she's got 2 turkeys & some hens! although i think the above is correct. you could also phone flyte so fancy customer service and they're normally happy to advise

tbh the softies are most likely being laid by an ex-bat, as probs like this are very common due to the intensive laying they are put through as young hens. i really wouldn't worry about it, but check the vent area of all of your ex-bats to make sure there is no broken shell left inside them (just a visual check that there's nothing poking out of their vent), and that they haven't got a prolapse (can sometimes occur when laying probs are present). also make sure their vent is clean as if they're laying softies regulary they may have like a yolky substance on their bum, which you'll need to gently clean up. if they have some shell stuck you may notice them straining & crouching alot or walking funny, and hiding can also indicate a potential problem such as a prolapse. it's important to catch a prolapse because the other hens may peck at it which can become a big problem. there are lots of threads advising on prolapses & 'stuck' shells, or come back here if you have a problem.

otherwise on their own softies aren't too much to worry about, and feeding a calcium supplement or doing what i do for my ex-bat boo who lays softies - keeping & rinsing used egg shells, then baking & grinding them up to put in food - is an excellent 'home' remedy for softies and to improve shell strength

[Clairey_Fairy]

Just noticed they sell rings in Pets at Home (£1.99 for 10) on their website. Might have them in store, so you could pick them up?

[Redwing]

Yes its 16mm for standard hens

 

I get mine in packs of 10 from Regency Poultry via Ebay

 

I dont use the spiral ones as they can get caught on things, I use the clip on ones

[themoomin]

Thanks for all that great advice, will search eBay and local shops on the Islands for leg rings imediately!

Kate