[Lardman]

Still getting soft eggs about 50% of the time.  This started way back at the beginning of spring.  I lost one of the girls at the end of summer so Im down to 2 and I can't see anything wrong with either of them.

I've completely run out of ideas, I have been giving the coop a regular clean out and a spray with poultry shield but I was think of something a little more drastic.

If I was to paint the inside of the coop with this mysterious brown liquid I have found in the shed. How long should I leave it to air before allowing the girls back into the coop?

[joyfull]

Do you have red mite then? It is easy enough to check if you have - go out when its dark armed with a torch and a white piece of paper. slide the paper into all the nooks and crannies and if you have red mite then their blood (or rather your chickens blood from inside the red mites) will show up.
How old are your chickens? Do they have access to a good quality feed at all times during the day? Do they have access to poultry grit and oyster shell at all times? Do they get dark greens if they don't free range? What have you tried to cure the soft eggs?

[orchardlady]

I have eight perches, four in the house at a time. I paint the perches every 2 weeks or so and allow them to weather outside for the intervening time. The brown liquid is rather pongy!

[Lardman]

Do you have red mite then?

I can't see any, I'll try out your paper test later. Im completely stumped.

They have constant access to oyster shell/grit & ground oyster shell on its own. I've tried 3 brands of food including the shockingly expensive organic stuff recommended by river cottage. Fresh food and water are available daily.  They get a couple of handfuls of corn 3-4 times a week, all the weeds they can eat and free range when Im in the garden. Otherwise they're kept in a covered 14x7' run.

I've given them a course of flubenvet, and tried supplementing their diet with limestone flour, poultry spice, cod liver oil, cat food, ACV, ground up shells and garlic.

Birds / coop / dustbath have been sprinkled with diatoms and cleaned out regularly.

I've knocked up another perch and do the same thing but I'd like to cover the inside of the coop too.

... nearly forgot. They are getting on a bit now, the problems started when they were around 18months, they're over 2 years old now.

[Flowerpower136]

Lardman, the softshell problem is probably nothing to do with any possible mite problem.  And more likely to be that your elderly hens are coming to the end of their natural laying.  Chicken menopause.  Best thing I've tried was a product called Shell Max Booster.  Definite improvement with that.  But we still get the odd softie, it's just natures way.

Doesn't sound like you've got mites.  What you made you think you had?

[joyfull]

with mites they often stop laying.

[Lardman]

I didn't think 18months was that old 

Initially I thought it was diet, especially as they still lay daily just with a soft shell, but having exhausted everything I and my local feed merchant can think of (although I'll go and look at the max booter stuff) I was clutching at straws.

[Sassy]

If your hens are hybrids they will no longer be considered to  be young.

[josh5357]

Hi Lardman
I have the same problem with the soft eggs. I have tried everything you have tried as well as the shellmax to no avail. got four pol in august and 1 lays a soft egg every time, she stopped laying for about 4 weeks and I hoped she would start laying good eggs when she restarted but no joy. the egg is eaten by the  chooks if I don't get it first. They do not touch the good eggs. I am going to keep trying until after new year if still getting soft eggs then she will be removed.

[Aunt Sally]

My hybrids are about 3 and 5 years old and still laying.

[Lardman]

My hybrids are about 3 and 5 years old and still laying.

Which was more inline with my thinking.

Without being heartless (my girls aren't 'pets') part of me thinks it might be time to recycle them and replace with new, they have had nearly a year to sort themselves out, and I could have replaced them several time over with what I've spent on supplements. I rather not throw the baby out with the bath water though.

[Sassy]

Perhaps I should clarify and say that if they could have been battery hens given a different set of circumstances 18 months is considered to be old as they lay almost constantly and get worn out. Of course there are exceptions to all the generalisations!