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[KateC]

Hi

 

I have four hybrid chickens who are about 18 months old. They all laid really well last year but I am lucky to get one or two eggs a day now. I have two bovan neras who regularly lay but one lays very delicately shelled eggs and these are being eaten! I have cut down on the treats, switched to Omlet food which has had good reviews, given them regular tonics and can't think what else to do. They are fundamentally very healthy looking girls although sadly I am unable to allow them to free range due to exuberant dogs and foxes in our area. They have 8 sq metres of a cube run and walk in run with perches and a dustbath. There is no grass left but I try to make sure they get some greens and I put some mealworms in a cat treat ball to give them some mental stimulation. They all get on well and I am at a loss as to what is happening. I have also started putting a bit of limestone powder on their mealworms to try to toughen up Layla's delicate eggs.

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thank you.

 

Kate

[clucker1]

Try a dollop of cod liver oil once a week, they need this along with the calcium when they get older to make the shells hard. I give my 7 chickens a generous tablespoon once a week mixed with their treat. One of my chickens will quite happily drink cod liver oil from the bottle.

[zakjon-98]

Have you checked them and the coop for lice or mites? Also have they been wormed with flubenvet? These could be some things that could stop them laying

[Jenthelibrarian]

I've been dealing with weak shells...don't know if this might help you.

 

One of my two [both hybrids] was doing some very weak shells recently, despite grit always being available in their run.

 

I have saved all my 'used' egg shells, baked them in the oven [put them on a foil-lined tray in the cooling oven after you've had it on for something else] and ground them up very fine.

 

In the evening, after they've had their daily pellets, I've been giving the hens a small supper, with a teaspoon or two of ground shell thoroughly mixed in so they can't pick it out. This is ok with, say, mashed potato, or other cooked mashed veg. If I've added it to something like rice or sweetcorn I've mixed in a teaspoon of yoghurt to make it stick on.

 

Fingers crossed, but this seems to have helped greatly.

[KateC]

Hi

Thanks for the advice, Omlet people are so quick and helpful.

 

I haven't tried the cod liver oil but will give that a go. I have checked for lice and mites and can see absolutely no evidence of red mite in the cube and I have recently given them a quick treatment with Johnsons mite and lice spray. They were wormed in March I think, but I will do them again I think just to make sure. Hopefully we will get some more eggs, my Mother in Law keeps asking when she will be getting her regular supply again!!!!! Kate

[KateC]

Thanks Jen

Will add that to the list of things to try. I hadn't realised there was so much to it. Glad to hear your girls are doing better.

[clucker1]

What are you worming them with? When I started on this chicken lark, I phoned Omlet for their advice. In a very polite way they said if I wanted a proper job done, use flubenvet not the herbal/organic stuff you put in the water ...sorry can't remember what it is called....vermisomethingor other??

[KateC]

Hi Clucker1

 

I have been using Flubenvet. I thought I had been doing everything right which is why I am disappointed with the lack of eggs! I will worm them again, it can't hurt can it?

[Chicken shack]

I have 7 girls and I am lucky to get 1 egg a day. Not had an egg for 2 days now. I worm and treat for mite etc. I have put it down to them all being old. I got 2 more girls a few weeks ago and hope they will be in lay before the change of life hits all of them.

[Sue]

if your girls have been laying for over 12months they are probably due for a feather change, and even commercial hybrids cannot produce large quantities of good eggs and feathers at the same time.

 

This would also explain the weaker egg shells as the birds prepare to go "off-lay" If you look under their feathers and they are beginning the moult, there are often short dark thick stubby feathers, which is the beginning of the re-growth. It takes quite a few weeks depending on the weather conditions and other factors, then they should come back into lay.

[clucker1]

I worm my chickens 3-4 times a year and it hasn't hurt them, just kept them healthy and free of worms.

[KateC]

Hi Sue

 

There are an awful lot of feathers around the run so I guess this is part of the problem. I have given them some more tonic this morning and will get some cod liver oil today. Will try that and then worm them too. Thank you for all the advice everyone.

[coco]

If it makes you feel any better I have twenty plus hens and am getting three to four eggs a day. I think its a combination of shorter days, moulting and having had red mite. I have told them they are all sacked but they weren't overly bothered.