I've got white ones!

[Glutton4...]

...They gonna look lovely mixed with your browns...

Just looked at the link. I have a customer with a hen like the one pictured and its at least three times the size of mine! I guess mine are a hybrid of some sort, like the brown ones.

...the egg was light brown. Perhaps the eggs come in all shades or perhaps your new girl forgot to put the colour on...

The ex-Batts eggs vary daily. Big strong dark thick-shelled ones, down to thin fragile ones that break when they land, or thin rubber/plastic type ones (they eat those).

I guess they are all coming to the end of their super-productive days, but time will tell. I've been getting three to four eggs a day recently from the Batts, but only got two today, and one from the free-rangers - stress of the move etc I guess. Probably be falling over them tomorrow!

If they stop fighting!

[frias]

Mine used to lay some softies. None of them touch the bowls of mixed grit and oyster shell. I now mix a teaspoon of limestone flour in the porridge every day and shells are much stronger.

[Glutton4...]

I bake my used egg shells and crush them and feed them back in their morning mash. Plus they're loose on the grass all day, so there's plenty of access to grit. They're nearly weaned off the mash, and on to pellets now, which is easier for me, but I think I'll invest in some 'proper' grit too though.

[Glutton4...]

Sorry frias, didn't read it properly (nearly finished the bottle!). Perhaps Limestone flour is the way to go. It's only been every eighth egg or so, that has been soft, so I thought it was one hen getting to the end of her laying life, so it's worth a try, maybe it'll cure it. I need to get it sorted now I've got 16 of them - can't sell soft ones, can I?

[HayleyB]

They're lovely Glutton, they are identical to our newies which are Amber Links, I read somewhere they are hybrid but unsure whether Sussex or White Stars. Ours have brown eggs by the looks as well, which is a bit disappointing as I was eggspecting white ones.

[T-lady]

Gorgeous girls, I hope they settle down with your brown ladies soon.

[Suechooks]

Mine used to lay some softies. None of them touch the bowls of mixed grit and oyster shell. I now mix a teaspoon of limestone flour in the porridge every day and shells are much stronger.

What is Limestone flour and where can I get it from please Frias? My girls lay no shells/thin shells occasionally so would be happy to put some in their food.

[Glutton4...]

They're lovely Glutton, they are identical to our newies which are Amber Links, I read somewhere they are hybrid but unsure whether Sussex or White Stars. Ours have brown eggs by the looks as well, which is a bit disappointing as I was eggspecting white ones.

Just read in the other thread about your brown bullies. Well, it's the other way round here. Every time one of the brown ones goes near a white one, the whitey attacks - they're really vicious

They all slept together in the big coop (shed) last night, although I had to put most of them in myself, and this morning all fine except one brown one, who is off her food, and just seems to want to sit by herself, all scrunched up.

I'm going back out there now with corn and raisins to try and cheer her up, ad I'll take my camera, so I can post some more pics this evening.

I was supposed to start my crimbo shopping today - looks like tomorrow now!

Ho hum

Jane.X

[MaureenHall]

I got mine ages ago from Ebay, and only give them a tiny bit at a time (once a week-ish) when I feel they really need it. Limestone flour, Calcium carbonate diet supplment 200g on eBay, also, Reptiles, Pet Supplies, Home Garden (end time 17-Jan-09 21:38:21 GMT)

[janeyo]

I thought you were talking about your legs due to the severe lack of summer we had!

Many congrats on your girls - I have a white star and she lays white eggs everytime. (crossed with a leghorn somewhere down the line I believe, it's what makes her a bit flighty, not caught her yet for a cuddle in almost a year!)

Enjoy your new additions! janeyo

[Flummery]

You can get limestone flour from Farmers' suppliers, horsey places etc.

[Suechooks]

Thank you Maureen and Flummery. I'll check it out in our local Country Store. If none there then good old internet!

[hooraynana]

Lovely ! I got my two from littlehenrescue today -
Was really surprised to see they are all pecked and a bit bald - even though they were ex free range
One is timid and the other one is proper aggressive and has been asserting her authority on Batty - Its soooo hard not to stop them but like Glutton i think its best to let them sort the pecking order out themselves
Can anyone tell me how come free range hens are re-homed ?- I should have asked today and its been mithering me on the way back lol

[Glutton4...]

Maybe the farmer is packing up, or perhaps, like the ex-Batts, they've reached the end of their commercial life and he's replacing them with young stock. I didn't ask either!

[frias]

Sorry Sue, wasn't ignoring you, have busy all day. As others have said, Limestone flour usually stocked at horsey places. I have been using it for a few months and have seen a big improvement in quality of eggshells. I also put crushed eggshells in hopper with dry food. (I must get a grinder so I can put them in porridge like Maureen does.)

hooraynana, apparently supermarkets won't stock eggs from 'old' hens, battery or free range.