Chicken bald back

[charlottep]

Hello!

 

I have had my girls since July and they've progressed in leaps and bounds - they literally will not leave me alone now!But I am worried as one of them has started laying thin shelled eggs, which after she has laid she obviously breaks and enjoys the contents of. Also, one of my others has started, for the past two days, laying her eggs on the roosting bars near the entrance to the nest box (I have a Cube) and the one today was broken when I found it because she'd obviously stood on it and it had broken into the poop tray below! I caught her on Saturday screaming her head off next to the nesting box as one of the chickens was laying and she clearly didn't want to go in with her - I think it might be her laying them on the roosting bars.

 

They all eat the ex batt pellets, range freely all day, have cider vinegar and poultry spice and constant access to oyster shell/grit. I give them a few pieces of sweetcorn each when I get in from work and my other eggs are fine! I average 3-4 a day - although the fourth one is usually broken as it is the thin shell one. They also have a fake egg so they know where to lay and have been laying there after a few weeks of arriving home.

 

Does anyone have any advice or tips? These are my first ever chickens and I am hooked already!

 

Thanks

 

Charlotte

[libby22]

Hi. I too have a girl that stands yelling at the top of her voice when the others go into the nesting box. However, she is the top hen and I think she is often yelling for them to come out, as she doesn't like being alone! She is especially bad if it is windy and she gets a bit frightened. She stops if I go out and as soon as the door shuts, starts yelling again. Sometimes the poor girls just come out to join her, without laying as they are sick of the din! She will lay on the roosting bars if she lays her egg close to coming out of the cube time and wants to be near to the door. If it is later in the morning, she uses the nesting box.

 

As for the soft shelled eggs, I have found this can come on as they get older. Mine too have pellets, tonics in their water, kale and greens for the calcium, seeds a couple of times a week for the phosphorous, oyster shell, live yoghurt a couple of times a week again for the calcium and just because they love it, and finally half a pint of white maggots once every ten days to ensure their crops are kept clear. But - still soft shelled eggs. I have a calcium and vitamin D3 tonic for their water but it hasn't helped. They have no treats before 2.00 pm and they really tuck into the pellets so it all should work - but think it is just that they are getting older. Strangely, if they lay a softie, they will eat it, if they lay a good solid shelled egg - they won't touch it. I tend to let them have the soft ones - well I say let, I don't have much say in the matter! I am glad you are enjoying your girls - they can be a lot of work at times and a worry when they are ill, but what would we do without them

[charlottep]

Thank you for your reply! I had four eggs today, none on the roosting bars and all in the egg box, but again, one was a thin shell and broken at one end with a weird tail thing on the other! Kind of gross. I had a look on the internet and apparently this just happens? My biggest worry is that whoever is laying these eggs will eventually get ill. I'd rather she just stopped for good, as what you said about this happening when they come to the end of their laying time makes sense because they are ex batts. They are all running around, eating and drinking and waiting outside the backdoor for me to come home and give them their treat at 5.30pm - so I should probably just stop worrying?! it is hard being mother hen!

[libby22]

It can come and go and my ex batt has been doing this on and off for six months. She has her first anniversary with me this weekend. I find the ex batts seem tougher than my gingernut rangers. The gingernuts are off colour for about a day when a softie is due and won't eat much, but my ex batt just works through it and eats for England! Hopefully, with the shorter days they may have a winter break and not lay and then we won't have to worry! I totally agree, we do worry so much when it isn't going right as we just don't want them to fall ill. That is so sweet that they wait at the door for you - lovely. I hope your little one settles soon.

[LottyJ1]

You will find that some chooks don't like to share the nest box to lay eggs and will create a big fuss if someone else is in there.

 

Soft shell eggs and egg problems are common in ex-batts as they are bred to lay so intensively in the first 18 months that there organs get worn out.

 

Just keep an eye on her in general and it sounds like you are doing everything correctly. Some will just stop laying for good, some will have a break and then start again normally but some will start laying internally and you can then implant them.

 

Don't worry too much as you have given them a fantastic retirement home.

[Sandychick]

Have they been wormed with Flubenvet recently? Worms can also cause soft shells.