[T C]

Hi there, im really new to this forum, and id lie just to say how enjoyable its been, reading all the topics, ive really learnt a lot, in fact i found this site just as i found out my hens had redmite, as a result my hens are now free of the beasties and are back laying in top gear, thanks a millon for that.
         Now new problem, one of the hens is laying an egg that the shell is a little thin, is there any food that i can intrduce that will repair, or anything that i should do, all the other 5 are ok. :?:

[Vember]

Hi T C

Welcome to the hen house

WHat type of food are they eating now?
how old are they?
are they free range or in a run?
What breed are they?
Do they have 24 hour grit / oyster shell?
Any other signs of illness ie looking dull, standing alone, runny nose?




Sarah

[T C]

hi Vember, the hens have an enclosure, they eat a mix that i buy from the feed merchents, which they recomended, surposed to be natrual, its a yellow in colour, with bits in like maize,they also have fresh leaves, and scrapes, the hens i got in may, as point of lay,they started laying about a month after, i have 6 hens, they were laying between 4 and 6 eggs a day, untill they had redmite, egg laying droped to 1 a day, sometimes 2, it seems that only one egg shell is a bit thin, we havent borght any grit, but they have lots of natrual grit, and sand, is this enough information, for you to advise me of what i might be doing wrong. :?: i am now getting 4 or 5 eggs per day.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Is it a mix of grains or layers pellets? If free ranging they will probably be getting enough grit but this is for grinding up food not for nutrition. Do they have oyster shell which they need for the calcium for making egg shells? Would recommend layers pellets as a good balanced feed and make sure they have oyster shell available (although some of mine will not touch the stuff!) From reading on here I know that some swear by limestone flour for getting the calcium they need into them as it is mixed with their feed so they can't ignore it but I have never used it myself.

[Vember]

I agree with Kate get some oyster shell and perhapes if possible  some lime stone flour to add to their food

The two posts below might help get you sorted

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=21479&highlight=limestone+flour

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=19016&highlight=limestone+flour

Let us know how you get on


Sarah

[T C]

The feed is a mix of powder with as i said maize,and it looks like dried peas, they also have little pellets that i think are the layers pellets, i got them in when the hens had redmite, as they went off of the food, so i do now mix in a few pellets with the other food, is there any other thing i could give the hens apart from oyester shells, i am in Spain and i am finding it difiuclt to find any of the products that i have heard about over the last few weeks on the forum over here, for the red mite i had the luck to find that the fly repelent that we keep in for the horse was for hens and redmite also, and it seems to have done the trick,(fingers crossed) The spanish thorght i was mad when i was running around trying to find poultry shield, could i grind up my own oyester shells?

[Vember]

Sorry T C

Looks like our posts crossed    see my above post for adding the flour

I think if you wash the oyster shells well to get rid of any excess salt then they should be ok, someone else might know better, as for getting limestone flour ?

Normally get it at horse'y type feed places here


Sarah

[T C]

I would like to know what the limestone is in the flour, is the flour like chalk :?:

[Vember]

It is chalky yes  

Here's a run down  http://www.naf-uk.com/downloads/limeflour.pdf


Hope that helps :?


Sarah

[T C]

Oh thanks for that, i wil now know what im looking for, the eggs are not ever so thin shelled, only a bit, plus it slighty breaks when she lays it, almost as if shes pecked it, but not so as my husband built a nesting box where the eggs roll away, he made a good job of it to, if i get cleaver at this i may post a photo of it, plus my hens bunglow,and you never know if im that cleaver you may see my spanish hens,

[Vember]

T C Photo's would be fabtastic
If your not sure how to add them have a look here

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=19476


Hope you manage to get your girl sorted




Take Care


Sarah