Chicken bald back

[Chickabee]

I have 18 chickens, but am only getting 1 or 2 eggs a day. 3 are pullets, one is a new mum to moorhens and a couple are aged about 4 or over. They eat loads of pellets and hardly any treats at the moment. We did move house about 2 months ago, but the girls seem very much at home. No signs of stress or aggression. I got an eggless she'll today . I know the culprit though. She's an old bluebelle who's been laying shell less eggs for ages Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. They have been wormed

[Egluntyne]

I would worm them and make sure that they are not laying in a secret place if they free range. This has happened to me more times than I care to mention.

[mrsatroy]

I am in a similar situation too. I have 16 girls and am getting 4-5 eggs a day. I suppose when I break it down I am not as bad as you - as 4 are pullets and 4 are ex-batts I rescued last November. I know my cochin wouldn't be as prolific a layer as hybrids. My remaining hybrids vary from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years of age. Sometimes I think the flock is a bit on the underfed side and when I pick some of them up their breast bone seems very prominent. They are fed principally layers pellets, with some scratch in the evening, they get a treat sometimes of watermelon or sardines. I wormed them all recently and coming into the spring I gave them some poultry supplement. I jsut still sometimes think they are a raggy looking lot!

[Chickabee]

I only wormed them a couple of weeks ago. I will look for secret places though

[Purplemaniacs]

What did you worm them with?

 

Perhaps they have a secret laying place.

 

Chrissie

[Chickabee]

Flubenvet. Use it religiously, the pellets. Poos are fine. Little madams are just dust bathing and eating all day. At least they're happy

[Saja]

Mine free range in about a quarter of an acre and my Pekin had a secret place a few weeks ago which I found and cleared, hoping she'd go back to the nest box which she did for a while but she has now found a new place where she disappears to for an hour or more. Unfortunately I can't find it! I'm slowly clearing the overgrown areas and hope to find the eggs soon, and keeping fingers crossed that she doesn't go broody.

[chickenlover12]

I'm not sure to be honest.

 

I watched Becky's video on Utube and she did have some good ideas...

 

[Purplemaniacs]

Flubenvet. Use it religiously, the pellets. Poos are fine. Little madams are just dust bathing and eating all day. At least they're happy

My bantams are a bit like that. They seem happy, they lay a few eggs in the spring and then take it easy enjoying life I hope you get some more eggs soon.

 

Chrissie

[Grandmashazzie]

Chickabee same here.I have 4 bantams,2 ex batts now almost 3 years free so allowed to be free loaders 3 one year olds and 2 pre POL and am getting 1 egg a day if I am lucky.My next lot will be ex batts,,great wee layers. I have had it with posh girls I am prob due to worm at what age can my newbies have Flubenvet I think they must be about 18 weeks now.

[Chickabee]

Yep they can be wormed now

[Mars]

Chickabee

I think as we passed the longest day of the year the days are getting shorter and hens are laying less. I am getting 10 to 12 eggs from 16 laying hens. "I used to get more" at least one of them is moulting.

My hens are 12 to 16 months old. common sense older hens are affected more.

[Chickabee]

True Mars. Hopefully the pullets will start laying soon. They're hybrids so with any luck they'll lay through this winter. I'm not having much luck though. I've got a girl who's supposed to lay blue eggs and one who's supposed to lay white. They both lay normal colours

[Chickabee]

Make that 17. Just found one dead in the run. One of my older hybrids, but not the eldest

[Mars]

Make that 17. Just found one dead in the run. One of my older hybrids, but not the eldest

RIP little thing

[Chickabee]

Thanks Mars. No matter how many times it's happened over the years, I've never got used to the death of one of my girls. It sounds horrible, but I have to give them a complete check over. I kind of have to detach myself from the fact she was once living. I have so much respect for vets and their nurses

[Mars]

I've got a girl who's supposed to lay blue eggs and one who's supposed to lay white. They both lay normal colours

Same happened to me Chickabee, I bought 5 hens and a rooster at 8 weeks of age, they are supposed to be white leghorns, two died. the three surviving hens lay cream colored eggs and most of the time at least one of them is broody, I think they could be Ixworth. Many people who sell hens are not very honest.

[The Dogmother]

Mine free range in about a quarter of an acre and my Pekin had a secret place a few weeks ago which I found and cleared, hoping she'd go back to the nest box which she did for a while but she has now found a new place where she disappears to for an hour or more. Unfortunately I can't find it! I'm slowly clearing the overgrown areas and hope to find the eggs soon, and keeping fingers crossed that she doesn't go broody.

 

Try shutting them in the run for a bit until she gets used to laying where she is supposed to. Also make sure that you have enough nest boxes, and that she isn't being bullied off it.