[moyhill]

one of our Red hens - which has been laying normally for the last 3-4 months - has started to have problems laying. We have had a couple of eggs with very soft shells and a couple layed outside and not in the nestbox.
Instead she stands in a corner of the pen and looks as she is setting to lay - tail up etc - but nothing appears to happen.
Two days ago it appeared that she layed one egg outside and then later we found a broken soft shell as well. Then yesterday she made no attempt to lay. Today she is squatting in a corner of the pen again.
The other hens are laying normally. Any suggestions please?

[Power Poultry]

soft shell eggs tend to be down to lack of calcium they could need some oyster shell.

[HappyHippy]

Check she's not egg bound (doesn't sound like it, but best to be sure) up their grit/oystershell and give them some poultry spice as a pick-me-up.
It's getting towards moulting time when they tend to stop laying anyway, if she's starting to look a bit scruffy and losing feathers it might be this.
Are all the others laying happily in the coop ? Check for red mite if they're all starting to lay outside (although they'd be reluctant to go in at night too if this was the case and it wouldn't affect the shells)
HTH
Karen

[moyhill]

Thanks for your advice HH.
Problem seems to have gone away for the time being. None of the hens show any sign of moult yet and they have had regular supply of oyster. Since they are in a stone house I thought the risk of red mite was negligible and there has been no problem with them going into the house or the next boxes. One of those mysteries which we may not solve until the problem recurs.
thanks again