[viettaclark]

I now have 6 chooks and I'm only getting 1 or 2 eggs a day. Two birds are 4+ and the other 4 are 2+. One goes broody every 5 weeks and stays broody for 4 weeks and 2 lay soft eggs (when they lay) and one had to be warm-water bathed and massaged to remove a soft broken egg recently. She hasn't laid since. They all laid wonderfully for the first year then dropped off.
They have plenty of oyster grit containers round the runs and get fresh greens everyday as well as grass from free-ranging. They are on layers pellets and have treats such as mealworms/sunflower seeds/oats or corn to get them back in the run in the evening.
They are all really healthy but I have finally decided after much deliberation and researching advice and info on the site to cull some to allow me to add new laying birds to the group. I really don't need more than 4 if they're laying ok.
Is there anyone in or near Southampton who could assist me, please? I have never done it before but feel I should learn as a responsible flock keeper. I am not squeamish of the act itself, more concerned with ensuring a humane dispatch.

[GrannieAnnie]

Wish we were nearer Vietta!  Hope you find someone near you!

[Sparkyrog]

For your own sake remember this ! the quicker they are plucked after Dispatch the better ,do the primary wing feathers first then the tail ,after that go straight to the breast then they are less likely to tear 

[viettaclark]

No luck yet.....might Google it.
I wrote to Omelet and the reply was a bit of a shock. Basically they cater for pet chooks and just because they don't lay is no reason to dispatch. (You could end up with a huge flock of non-laying birds, really) I was advised to find new homes for them or take them to the vet to be put to sleep.
Strange because there's quite an informative thread about dispatching on their site and courses available so maybe I got a rather emotional customer service rep.
Anyway....Cadbury, who had the worse internal laying probs is suffering again and  I must do something.
And thanks for the advice on plucking.....hopefully we'll have a couple of boiling fowl.

[Sparkyrog]

I can tell you how if you wish , but I cannot do it for you !

[Madame Cholet]

Do you have a small holders assocation or self-suffiency group they are usually good helpful people.

[viettaclark]

That was a fantastic suggestion!
I got in contact with the Chair of the Southampton Allotment and Gardeners Association, of which I am a member, and she has come up trumps!
Thanks very muchly!

[grinling]

You need to break the broody one's habit and the 2 which lay soft shelled eggs, how old are they and do they show any other symptons; if they have mycoplasmia it can be passed onto new birds.