There has to be a solution to my problem

[tlck9]

Hi People,

I've had chickens now for around 2 1/2 years and still enjoying keeping them.

I have 3 hybrids and 4 ex batts. My hybrids are around 2 years old and my ex batts probably just under 3.

I have two issues.

Firstly my white leghorn hasnt laid in over 9 months, she was around 14/15 months when she stopped laying - if she is laying at all it is soft eggs only
She has moments each month where she goes quiet and either stays in the coop or sits hunched up, but only for a few days and the she perks up (not as perky as she was when she was laying)

Secondly I am finding the last couple of months egg production has dropped and I have egg shells that if you press on them they will easily crack. I get 2 decent eggs from the remaining hybrids but even the regular everyday chuck has lost her excellent, large, hard eggs!

I feed them a mix of ex batts crumbs, layers mash and ex batts pellets. They get corn at night and greens mid afternoon ( a cabbage leaf chopped, end of a cucumber, a handful of rice, what ever I have left over)

I have checked them for red mite and i seem clear, checked for lice and again im okay. I've wormed them and and about to do again. They are in good health and have no coughs or colds (one has just started to malt)

They get grid/oyster shell on the floor and in cups so they can take adlib
from time to time I pop a seaweed drink into their water and have done it again tonight.

I;ve tryed live yogurt as well

Everyone says although they are getting on, I should still be getting hard egg shells. So what am I doing wrong. The lady opposite has older chucks and they are all okay and producing less but good shells.

Anything more I can try?

My hubby is laying as my leghorn has a tendency to eat the eggs as well that she should be gone, if she is ill and this is why she isnt laying then yes, but I'm struggling to get rid of her just because she isnt laying. Could she be unhappy with not laying

[Suechooks]

That's quite a problem Tick. I don't know about the Leghorn but the hybrids and ex-batts I'd suggest it IS because theyre getting older that the shell quality does deteriorate. Thats why the supermarkets won't buy eggs from hens after the first laying season. I have a mix of ex-batts and "other" Warrens as well as 2 Black Rocks, and I have a similar problem with some of mine. I tend to give them Poultry Spice daily in winter and maybe twice a week in summer. I also give cod liver oil though in theory they shouldn't need it when there's plenty of sun. Maybe you could try a teaspoon of cod liver oil say twice a week to help them metabolise the calcium. Are your neighbours hens pure breeds? they tend to lay for longer and not deteriorate the same as hybrids who only have a relatively short life expectation.
The Leghorn sounds as if she has an underlying problem. Has she moulted? As its a hormonal process a blip in the system could delay her coming back into lay. On the gloomy side could she have a tumour?
It does seem there's something unpleasant going on if she's been intermittently unwell for such a long time. Do you have a vet who could advise you? I think that'd be my next move. Best of luck.

[tlck9]

We covered their run recently could this be the problem, it's not dark as it's clear plastic.

[jonpop]

Hello,

just a quick message about soft/thin eggshells.

Save eggs hells when you're cooking and put them in a baking tray. Bake them in the oven until they're brittle (can't remember how long this takes - I just used to put them in the oven while I baked a cake or whatever) Then crush them up finely when they're cool. Mix the crushed shells into their food and it should help them make strong hard shells. The reason you crush them finely is so that they don't realise they're eating shells (if they did they might start eating the eggs they lay apparantly)

Hope this helps, Kelly

[Suechooks]

If they're on layers feed there is limestone flour in that which is sufficient for their needs. The problem is usually that they are not metabolising the calcium so you can stuff them full of it but it doesn't have any effect if its not absorbed. You also need to make sure you don't give too much as this too can cause problems.
Tick I doubt the fact you've covered the run would have any effect other than short term disruption of their routine. Mine punish me if I change their daily routine by laying half the amount of eggs the next day!

[petal]

The only other thing is they might have had some sort of infection that has permanently damaged their egg laying capabilities- can't remember the one that would do this - must look in my book. Vaccination does not cover all varieties of things you see.....

[Flummery]

The only other thing is they might have had some sort of infection that has permanently damaged their egg laying capabilities- can't remember the one that would do this - must look in my book. Vaccination does not cover all varieties of things you see.....

Infectious bronchitis can do this.

[petal]

thats the one! clever flummery = but the book says the eggs are wrinkly and bumpy?
Personally, if it was me, i would despatch all, sterilise coop, lime the ground and buy in a load of young point of lay. They are expensive to keep and if you are getting no eggs, well... miserable old git I am and I apologise to all the nice people out there.....

[RichmondHens]

I tend to agree with Sue. The ex batts are now at 3 yo getting past it. It is doubtful whether they will lay properly again, however you may wish to keep them as pets. The hybrids at only 2 should really have a third season in them, although they won't lay as prolifically as before, maybe just a few eggs a week rather than every day. The Leghorn sounds ill to me and as she seems to have been off colour for a while I would agree with your husband and Petal and cull her. What is wrong with her I couldn't say but from your description it is probably a chronic condition and unlikely to improve.

I can't help thinking that as ALL the hens are laying thin shelled eggs then there must be a dietary issue going on but what it is I am unsure as your day to day feeding regime sounds ok. I would be inclined to try changing the brand of feed to see if a slightly different formulation improves things.

[tlck9]

Thanks for all the replies.

I think the ones that are laying softer shells will be kept as pets. I;ve decide to add another 3 to the flock to subside the others not laying and as they drop off their perch can be replaced (soft as I am)

Souf my leghorn, well just when I make that awful decision she spends the next few days being as jolly as can be, but at 18 months there is something not right. Today was no different and she was running around as though she was on steroids...perhaps tomorrow!

Feed wise, I use smallholders for the layers pellets and crumbs and farmgate for the mash - perhaps I need to get the smallholders mash as that may be slightly better

They have had mycloplasma or just a cold in the past, treated and sorted quickly with Tylan, however they were laying well after they had it, so I thought they hadnt got any side effects.

[petal]

Ok, sorry to keep being negative but they might give mycoplasma to your new birds - be ready - they will be carriers. Decision time? It is really tough, I know how fond I am of mine but with Edward the gold brahma everyones practical advice on here helped me make the right decision.

[tlck9]

Ok, sorry to keep being negative but they might give mycoplasma to your new birds - be ready - they will be carriers. Decision time? It is really tough, I know how fond I am of mine but with Edward the gold brahma everyones practical advice on here helped me make the right decision.

So even though they do not have mycoplasma now they will still have it? So even though they have been treated I could still pass it on to new chickens?

Its hard to say goodbye to one, Souffle, but having to get rid of them all feels like I've chopping off my arm!

[RichmondHens]

Once infected with mycoplasma they carry the infection for life although they may never show any further symptoms of it. If you have some Tylan always on hand you can re-dose at the first signs of further symptoms therefore controlling it before it gets out of hand. You shouldn't breed from mycoplasma infected birds as the infection can pass onto the next generation via the egg but in your case you are obviously not going to breed from old ex batts and hybrids so I would say there is no need to cull them all. You do however run the risk of passing on the infection to any new birds introduced to the flock but as long as you are aware of this risk and are just wanting more egg layers then I don't see why you can't get a few more. If space allows it would be sensible to give them separate accommodation but you may not be in a position to do this.

[tlck9]

Thanks richmond, I can offer them a separate coop but the run would be the same, which I had planned to do.

However I'm thinking of what has been said very carefully...the trouble is that I have become very attached to these hens being my first and Ive always been of the opinion that you only put a sick bird down and its with me till the end of its natural life, egg laying or not...

In soufs case though I believe I may be doing her a favour, the more I check her the more i'm convinced that she must have a deeper under lying issue. She hasnt laid for 9-10 months, she get very agitated when I massage her under neath and she seems to be a little bloated there....although since writing this post, she hasnt had a bad day!

[petal]

I think Rh's solution is the best. You are not breeding from them and can always dose with tylan should the mycoplasma return, which it may not. You are right about souf, if i lived closer I would help you so you didn't have to go through the trauma of putting her down. I always cry buckets when its a favourite old hen - not as tough as I make myself out to be!!!!!!!