Thinking about the Christmas swap and what you might like to do ? 1 2

[amys garden 0]

Hi every one

My three girls new seem very happy in there back garden plot

Except I think we *over loved* them

The kids had lots of friends come to visit and they were given treats galore

My daughter has even started sneaking in the shed to get meal worms...

We've ended up with soft eggs

It silly I've NEVER given treats and human food to my cats

We just all went GaGa over the choocks!

I had to bath Hazel this morning as she was sat in the coup on a smashed softie

I hang my head in shame!

NO MORE TREATS EVER

oooh she was cross but is doing well now scratching around the back with the other two

 

Well just to update you on my coup n rum dilema my chippy neighbour let me down for a more lucrative job so we won't be having a green roof coup

So I'm left with a *pants* second hand coop a week before my Holliday

After allot off Internet research I've decided to get a Devon coop from chickencoupsdirect

It should be arriving in April

It'll fit 5 girls easily but shh don't tell OH

Can't wait to get the paint brushes out!

Hazel -maran cuiver

Dottie -bared rock

Flo -Light Sussex

Two cats

Two kids

And a gold fish

[jackian 0]

Welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping

One of my girls Eva who I have had 3 months laid a lot of soft eggs , the poor girl really struggled and looked quite poorly at times

Although we all love giving treats and I often get vcarried away ,I know too many is not a good ..but .. Someone on here suggested limestone flour which you can get from pet shops etc., sprinkled on their food and ground baked egg shells mixed in could sort the problem because they are lacking calcium....and it did Although she has the occasional blip we have had some lovely eggs from her since .

[sjp 0]

I'd check the sell by dates on the feed as well the first brand I used had very short sell by dates which I think resulted in soft shelled eggs so I changed to a differant brand and supplier as the feed was 'freasher' which did the trick

[amys garden 0]

Oooo thanks for the advice

They were fine couple of days ago so I guessed

they'd just maxed out in treats!

I've seen people spoil the dogs and cats practically to death

So strictly no treats but I will check the pellet date

They came from a lovely chook farm shop We're they sell POLs and even have chicken-holidays

[amys garden 0]

Checked the date on there pellets they're good till November!

Hazels still has bit of a droopy tale but she's been free ranging with the others all day

So fingers crossed they pick up tmrw

[craftyhunnypie 0]

When mine ever had soft eggs I fed them fresh spinach leaves. You can buy them from the supermarkets in bags - like bags of salad. Spinach is full of Calcium & trust me it really worked! A few others on here can vouch for that too!

Emma.x

[amys garden 0]

Thanks Emma I'll try that one how much do you give?

My friend recommended sesame seeds

(but she doesn't have chickens so I don't If its safe)

Also we live by the downs and I was thinking of grinding up some chalk

as the shop are closed...

Anyone tried that? Another friend knew and old chap who did this

Amy

[sjp 0]

dandilion leaves are a good source of natural calcium their free to

[Cheeky Chooky 0]

I love that *over loved them* I'd put the treats out of reach of the kids if it was me

[amys garden 0]

Yep !

I think the shed key needs to be found urgently ...

And possibly hidden from me too

[LolaLayla 0]

Oh it's easy to 'over love' them

[amys garden 0]

Well I think Flo is still laying softies:(

but the other two have layed two hard shelled eggs Hooray!

One is fairly a brown speckled beauty and the other is a bit lumpy n bumpy

But SO much better than yesterday's!

Would add a photo but can't figure out how to on my iPhone ...

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE

 

also how do you add pics to your signature?

[Plum 97]

I think you use the Img code as if you were posting pictures in the text.

[Lavenders_Blue 0]

TBH, laying softies is often just 'one of those things' rather than something lacking in the diet. One of my five hens only lays eggs with very very thin shells (they dent when you pick them up!) but the other 4 hens lay perfect hard shelled eggs. They all have the same diet, the same access to grit, the same number of treats (not many) so I can only assume that whoever lays these thin shelled eggs has an egg laying problem rather than something lacking in her diet. My Rosie (now RIP) was exactly the same - only ever layed soft shelled eggs. I used to add calcium to the water which worked for a while but in the end it didn't make any difference, I guess she just wasn't able to metabolise the calcium, so I stopped adding it as I didn't want to overdose the others.

[docsquid 0]

Yes, I have one like that - Gwennie. Laid good eggs for the first season, then softies for a while and then stopped altogether. The others all lay strong-shelled eggs. Gwennie hasn't laid for 18 months now. I think some are more susceptible to softies than others. I have tried all sorts of supplements, but now give the hens Garvo and tonic in their water, and that is it. All are fine except Gwennie, so I think she is just one of those hens. I love her to bits anyway.