Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Can you advise? Laying problems...  (Read 3504 times)

chicken licken

  • Joined Mar 2008
Can you advise? Laying problems...
« on: April 27, 2008, 04:50:40 pm »
I wonder if you can tell me what might be wrong.  Our two rescue chickens laid eggs daily, one each, for a month but suddenly stopped about 2 weeks ago.  4 days ago, my partner found one egg, but with a soft shell.  From information I've gleaned, much of it here, hens can go off the lay for a "holiday" but I've no idea how long they do this for, and somewhere I've read that soft-shelled eggs are almost invariably a sign of sickness. 
We've let them free range in a large area near our veggie patch til now, feeding them supplements of a little corn & more recently (since they stopped laying) what I think must be layers pellets...( not always easy to tell because no-one here speaks English & my Greek is not up to technical jargon, especially about chickens). Do they need oyster shell, for calcium?  Is there any other source of calcium?  Is it something else that's wrong?  The nearest vet is a couple of hours away by car on very bad mountain roads, so I'd like to avoid having to take them there, if possible.  I'd be grateful for your advice.

wildwoods

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • West Berkshire
Re: Can you advise? Laying problems...
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2008, 07:17:12 pm »
They need layers pellets every day - ad lib is preferable and just a little corn in the late afternoon, not as their main food source.

Oyster shell and grit (unless the ground they're kept on gives sufficient) would complete the picture. Lots of fresh water and greens - and they're in chicken heaven!

All birds have a rest at some point, if they're otherwise well and lively then please don't worry, but they do need a balanced diet.

Hope this helps.

The Chicken Lady

  • Joined Mar 2008
  • Cheshire
Re: Can you advise? Laying problems...
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2008, 09:23:01 am »
They can from time to time lay and egg with a soft shell but if you feed as above you should be OK. I put my egg shells in the bottom oven of the rayburn and then grind them up when they have baked then put them back into their food. Oyster shell works just as good. I have one chicken that is getting old now and always no matter what lays an egg with a soft shell. This is because she has shed the lining of something or other and will never lay a hard egg again. I usually scramble this egg and give it to the chicks! Waste not want not  ;D My chickens usually have a rest from laying in August  :) Hope your problem is soughted.
Karen

 

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