ex bat and soft eggs

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rachelr

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ex bat and soft eggs
« on: September 28, 2010, 18:54 »
I got 4 ex bats about 3 weeks ago. One has never laid but is starting to look really beautiful. However the one of the other two laid eggs from the begining. As the days have gone on these have become softer and softer. I have ensured she has loads of grit etc but I firmly believe she was coming to the end of her laying day.

She is fine in herself and eating and drinking ok.  However we are now on our 7th day of soft shells. Yesterday it actually got stuck and i had to put her in the sink and help her out.

She obviously struggles as she will go and hide to have these softies. How long will she have to put up with this. is there anything I can do to help her out.


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carolbriar

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2010, 19:08 »
Hi.  The grit is for grinding down the food in their gullet.  You should give them oyster shell as well or if you have some egg shells you can bake them and then crush them up finely.  This should help to harden up the shells.  If that doesn't work others have mentioned using limestone flour (I think that's what it is).  You get it from equine shops.  Hope that helps.  I'm sure someone else will be able to give more information. 
2 Springer Spaniels, 1 Speckled Sussex,  1 Cuckoo Maran, 1 Light Sussex, 1 Welsummer, 2 Barnvelders and 2 silver Pencil Wyandotes.

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joyfull

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2010, 20:21 »
Carol is quite correct in saying grit is just for grinding their food and that you need a form of calcium as well - oyster shell, washed baked and then crushed egg shellsetc. Also you need to make sure they have access to greens to help absorb the calcium  :)
Staffies are softer than you think.

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rachelr

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2010, 07:51 »
sorry I believe she is at the end of her laying life and am just wondering how long before she stops altogether.

i cant see that she is lacking anything as all of the others are fine.


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carolbriar

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2010, 10:19 »
Some hens require different amounts of calcium than others. I would give her a go with the calcium rather than giving up on her laying. The sorties will take a lot out of her

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joyfull

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2010, 10:33 »
they can also break and cause internal infections  :(

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Aidy

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2010, 14:07 »
I have become quite experienced now in the old battery hen (plastic hen according to little legs  ::)) Anyways as been mentioned, they are spent when it comes to eggs, if you have any that lay good eggs then its a real bonus but the reality is the owner got rid for a reason, they are pretty much layed out hens, I have tried allsorts to get my squirters to form shell, and non have, one of the ladies would lay 3 or 4 hard shell then go back to soft, you really have to keep a close eye on them all the time and keep checking them, as Joyfull says, they can easily get infections, again remember they have no or little immune system, been brought up on anti-biotics and can very quickly become ill.
Having said all the negatives, they do make some fantastic friends and even tho we only have two now we are very fond of them.
Punk isn't dead...it's underground where it belongs. If it comes to the surface it's no longer punk...it's Green Day!

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rachelr

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2010, 14:38 »
ok can i give her our calcium as i am on calcium or do they have to have specific ones. She has the oyster shell with the grit. Today she layed one half solid which broke.

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Aidy

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2010, 14:51 »
You can but they should get what they need from the layers pellet/ mash whichever your feeding them and the shell/grit mix. How long have you had them, they may stiil be settling in if you just got them.
Edit: Missed the three week bit. They are probably still settling down so dont rush them, it has been a very traumatic time for them, just leave a couple more weeks, feed them on layers and shell & gritand they will come true for you.
« Last Edit: September 29, 2010, 14:55 by Aidy »

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Aidy

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2010, 15:20 »
One more thought, how are they for feathers? If they are still a bit naked  :ohmy: then it could be the calcium they are taking in is being diverted to feather production which they have never done before.
These are strange creatures when you get them but give them 3 months and they back to being a chicken again.

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rachelr

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2010, 15:24 »
thats wat I thought. What i was actually saying before is how do i tell if she is about to stop laying permnanently. People say they lays soft ones at this time too. They are all on layers, they get treat such as sweet corn carrots and have a little mixed corn before bed. I treated them all for worms just after I got them.

She is having a wonderful time running round the garden and has about half of her feathers coming backi. I am sure she is fit and well. Yesterday I ground the grit and oyster shell smaller(i biought mixed) and put it in their actual feeder and her shel was a little harder today so am gonna keep doing that.

thanks for all the advice

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Aidy

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Re: ex bat and soft eggs
« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2010, 15:35 »
One or two of mine layed the odd softie, most kind of stopped laying regular then all together. I wouldnt worry too much just yet, they have probably still got a season or two of laying in them, its just the change at the mo.
They seem to have different rules to POL chooks, they do what they want, in parts this is what makes them more fun as pets, just harder to look after.



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