[pigeonpie]

I'm sure this topic has been discussed many times before but just wondering if anyone has any extra suggestions / gems of wisdom.

We have had our ex-batts for 14 months now.  When we first got them they were all in a very poor state but soon perked up and continued to lay with amazing enthusiasm.  Out of 14 hens we were getting 10 eggs minimum per day and more often a dozen.  Over the time 3 have died but until about 3 months ago the remaining hens continued to lay well.
We then started to get more and more soft or broken eggs but continued to get 4 or 5 decent eggs a day.  For the last 2 months we are lucky if we get 1 egg, from 11 girls.  Although each day we find the remnants of a couple of soft shelled eggs.
They have access to crushed oyster shell, in fact there are several bowls with it in dotted around their area.  They usually have about an acre to free range in but for the last month or so I have kept them in their run which is within a 50 metre electric fence.  They have plenty of shelter, including a covered run if the weather is not so good.  They have different feed areas so they have no need to fight over food, plenty of fresh water and have no signs of lice, etc and only a few red mites which we continue to deal with.  They have grass to graze and get plenty of other greens, including all the stuff that should help with the absorption of calcium.  They all look very lively and healthy.  I believe a couple may be going through a moult as they are looking scruffy once again but am still a little baffled as to the almost complete stop in egg production and the continuing softies.  Any ideas?

[compostqueen]

Your hens can only lay for a certain amount of time, eg two years approx. They are probably done now although you might continue to get the occasional egg

On the other hand could they be "laying away", eg laying somewhere other than the nest box?  Worth a hunt round 

[joyfull]

I agree with CQ these hens will be at the end of their laying life and as ex batts would have been rehomed as pets with the added bonus of eggs sometimes (I have 4 and only 2 of these have ever laid for me). With elderley hens they do lay odd shelled eggs and softees.

[pigeonpie]

That is what I thought.  One of the girls has been known to lay away and I do check just in case.  Hubbie and I had the chat as to what to do with them - cull or keep.  We have decided that as they are rescue girls they can continue to live a happy life as slug control for the garden.  Just as well I have another 14 ex-batts arriving next week to keep me in eggs then!!!

[joyfull]

So pleased you have the room and are letting these girls have a lovely retirement. Sadly some people take on rescues thinking that they will lay eggs for the rest of their life but then don't want them when they find out this is not the case. As I said 2 of mine have never laid for me but I'm just happy to let them do their own thing whilst getting eggs off my other girlies 

[pigeonpie]

I must be getting soft in my old age!!!

Anyway, I spend hundreds on the dog and she's never laid an egg!!!