[marygall]

Up until quite recently my two ex commercial layers have been providing me with two large, hard shelled, yellow yolked eggs every day. Three weeks ago I bought a bluebelle and a sussex light pullet - they all seem to get on ok but the quality of the eggs has changed. They still taste great but the shells are thinner and the yolks paler.
The hens all get out on to grass for several hours every day and are fed ex battery layer pellets (thanks to roughlee handled's advice). They get crushed oyster shell and thier own egg shells baked and crushed in with their pellets.
Could it be the time of year? They seem much more interested in bugs and slugs than pellets?
Am I worrying over nothing, they all look well and active...

[andreadon]

it's probably the heat - more energy going into keeping cool.
have you checked that they're drinking enough water?
and that they've got something they can shelter under?

[marygall]

Not so hot up here, andreadon, very pleasant but not in the least excessive and yes, they do have plenty of shelter and they're all drinking.
I'm probably worrying over nothing it's just that I got four ex commercial layers in February - one died within weeks and another (a real character) sadly died at the beginig of the summer. I kind of realise now that by the time you spot the problem, it can be too late.
They all have hearty appetites and come running whenever I open the back door, so I'll maybe just wait and see what happens...

[andreadon]

 

might be their age then.
sorry, not very helpful other than the obvious comments!
I was hoping someone a bit more experienced would jump on the thread!
 

[marygall]

No eggs today at all and Blossom is looking scruffy with feathers missing on her neck - could this be an early moult?
neither of these girls moulted in the early part of the year - I think they're supposed to moult in the autumn though aren't they?