Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: symonep on May 20, 2012, 21:18

Title: shell less eggs and partly shelled eggs
Post by: symonep on May 20, 2012, 21:18

I have a brown hen (cant remember the breed  ::)). Last year she started laying shell less eggs constantly so we tried adding more grit but it didnt make a difference. she has since almost stopped laying altogether but will often go in to roost as if she is laying. Every now and then she will lay an egg with part of the shell at either end of the egg and the shell missing in the middle. I read on here to try a calcium tablet to i will get some tomorrow and see if that helps.

She seems to be a little odd at times and will sit all puffed up, a few months ago she just stood in the same spot for about 5 hours, we gave her some anti biotics and the next day she was as right as rain. when i pick her up she has a bald breast bone but you cant see it is she is standing up and the skin is flakey. She eats and drinks well and I will worm her this week just in case although there are no signs of her having worms. The other 2 laying hens lay perfect eggs  (the is 2 years old)
Anyone come across this and do you think some extra calcium will help?
Thanks

Title: Re: shell less eggs and partly shelled eggs
Post by: joyfull on May 21, 2012, 09:04

grit is not for the shells it is to help them grind their food up. They need a form of calcium for their shells and this is usually given as crushed oyster shell.
If she is laying soft shelled or shell-less eggs then she will be off colour and appear hunched up - this is because it is very difficult for them to pass the egg along inside them.

Title: Re: shell less eggs and partly shelled eggs
Post by: symonep on May 21, 2012, 11:50

thanks joyfull, would ypu recomment we give her some calcium as they have oyster shell but i am not sure how much of it she gets as there are 6 greedy hens in there. (obviously i am guessing not enough  :blush:)

Title: Re: shell less eggs and partly shelled eggs
Post by: Casey76 on May 21, 2012, 13:03

If you have the oystershell in a separate pot in the run all the time, the hen will eat what she needs.

Just make sure the bits of shell aren't too big!  The last bag of oystershell I opened had really big flakes in, so I basked them with a hammer until they were more manageable to eat!

Title: Re: shell less eggs and partly shelled eggs
Post by: symonep on May 21, 2012, 19:42

Hey Casey, i brough them some today from pets at home as i was passing and the shell is huge, i bashed some up with a rolling pin  ??? will stick a pot full in their area and hope she will eat some. will let you know if this does the job
Thanks