[Honey65]

Hi

We've had our current ex bat hens for about 12 months making them approx 2 - 2 1\2 years old.  For the first 9 months they laid reliably (3-4 eggs per 4 hens).  Suddenly we're not getting any.  What are laid are very soft and not collectable.  1 in particular is really getting uncomfortably bound every couple of days

Are they:

1. Too old to lay now / worn out by commercial environment?
2. Suffering from a calcium deficiency? They have Allen&Page smallholder crumble but used to have ex bat from same supplier before it was discontinued. 

[Springlands]

You are quite lucky the you have had eggs for this long from your ex-bats. As you say because of the environment they are raised in you cannot expect them to keep laying for long. But you also have to remember that the nights are getting shorter so egg production will also fall off. As far as the soft eggs are concerned - do they have access to grit and oystershell. This is essential for shell production. You could also try them on some poultry spice.

[joyfull]

if they already have access to oyster shell and have poultry spice and dark leafy greens (the greens help with the absorption of calcium) then you could try introducing a little bit of limestone flour - I have been known to put a little limestone flour on a grape for a few days.