[helens-hens]

Hi Jane

Sorry that your hen had to be put down, it must have been very hard to have to make that decision but I am sure you couldn't have done any more to help her.

Thanks for sending the update, it can't have been easy 

[nic_28]

so sorry you had to have her put to sleep. It sounded like she was suffering so best thing done for sure. It's so hard making that decision

[Lindeggs]

Well done Jane - for doing everything you could for your girl, for making the hard decision when it came time to do so, and for keeping us up to date.  You obvioously care a lot for your birds and are a very responsible owner. 

[hillfooter]

Sorry to hear that your hen has had to be put down Jane but I thnk this was really inevitable and I think you did the right thing as she was clearly growing weaker.  You tried the most obvious remedies but it didn't really sound like a simple deficiency problem and in such cases they either cure themselves over time or they prove fatal.

Glad to be of any help though in this case it was to no avail.

HF

[ChickenBox]

That is exactly what my Amber Star is doing - been laying soft eggs for around 4 months now although she has not ever collapsed she is occasionally listless and disinterested in anything.

I noticed today she has developed very large 1cm spurs like a rooster where formerly there were none. What does that mean?

Being at work during the daylight hours I just don't get the time to observe the hens the way I can in the summer - but I would not have missed spurs for long.

She has also recently started a large moult - lots of large white feathers around. She went through a smaller moult a couple of months ago.

[viettaclark]

You've answered yourself, really. She lays softies because she has been in moult for a long time off and on. It takes it out of them......
I've got exactly the same happening with one of mine.
Such a shame to find a wasted egg. Mine break because they go through the rungs. If you find an intact one it is perfectly edible.....

[helens-hens]

You mentioned that your hen was developing spurs ChickenBox. Mine did exactly the same during a period when she was consistently laying softies (approx June to September this year). I can only assume this is a hormonal thing as they get older (bit like ladies of a certain age having to use tweezers, if you know what I mean!).

My hen has started to lay hard shelled eggs again though not quite as often as she used to. Some of the eggs are totally normal, the shells of others can have a wrinkly look to them but I guess this is a sign of her reproductive system slowing down.

Just keep a close eye on her.