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Flossie G

Sudden onset of softies

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Hello,

 

Both my chooks have suddnely started to lay softies. Sometimes the shells are floppy, sometimes fragile, and sometimes nonexistent. One egg was almost white, though the shell was tough. Very odd.

 

They have recently been allowed to range over a large grassy area. Could the problem be that they have gorged themselves on greenery and haven't eaten enough of their layers pellets and grit? If so, I would have thought they'd have the squits, but they haven't. And their pellets seems to be disappearing at the usual rate.

 

I've also just flubed them.

 

Any ideas? I'm a bit worried because one of them is obviously finding passing the softies a bit of a strain and she's quieter than normal.

 

Thanks,

FG

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Hello,

 

I started flubing them on 1 May.

 

I've confined them to their cube run so that they can only have their pellets and a bit of grass. The lethargic hen has picked up this morning, but the other girl laid another softie, which she ate. Great.

 

I've ordered some tonic+seaweed and a product that promises to help with egg shell problems, but any suggesetions for quick fixes in the meantime?

 

Thanks

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has something changed in their environment?

are the neighbours having building work done or something similar which might be stressing them out?

How old are they both?

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Hello,

 

The only thing that's changed is that about a week ago we started to let them free range a bit more. However, I noticed that one chook (Jo) had laid a couple of softies prior to this. I don't think that anything's stressing them.

 

We got Jo in May 2009 when she was at POL. Bessie arrived in Aug 2009, also at POL.

 

FG

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The increase in free ranging time could be the trigger. They may well be taking less 'good shell making' nutrients as they will be eating less pellets or mash. Keep them in in the morning and perhaps put them in early to ensure that they are having a good fill. Cut out all treats apart from fresh green veg.

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My girls are still laying softies. For a week I have been adding a tonic to their water and egg shell improver to their feed and I am not feeding them treats, but there is no improvement. Bessie has not laid a proper egg for over two weeks - ever since I flubed them. Last Friday, her bottom was leaking blood and, I think, egg. This morning she passed egg white. Jo has laid one sound egg in two weeks.

 

Neither of the girls appears ill. They are bright eyed and their tails are up in their usual perky fashion. Anyone have any suggestions?

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Bessie's vent was only leaking blood mixed with egg last Friday - so it appeared to me anyway (my husband thought Jo had pecked B's bottom). Anyway, her vent has been clean since then and both chooks are their usual selves. Normal egg from Jo this morning. Nothing from Bessie.

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after 2 years their laying may start to tail off.

Commercial farmers get rid of their birds after 18 months to 2 years because production tails off so you might not get an egg every day.

at 2 years of age they will probably still lay but i think that's the age when their egg producing bits and pieces may start to go a bit wonky.

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Sorry to drone on, but the problem continues. They are both still laying softies - if they lay at all - and Jo is eating these with relish. Neither of them is showing any signs of illness. They are not getting any treats (bless!), have seaweed tonic in their water and egg improver in their mash, but none of this has done any good.

 

I'm wondering whether it could be egg drop syndrome, apparently quite common. If so, is this the end of their egg laying days?

 

Is it, as Poet has suggested, just that they are both getting on at around two years of egg laying?

 

Your thoughts as always would be welcome.

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