[North Devon Dumpling]

Ok, so now the last of our 4 ISA's looks to be on her last legs (2 and a half years old).  She has been a stalwart hen up until a couple of weeks ago when she started to lay (only two) perfect small eggs, perfect that is except they had no yolks.  She is now very lethargic and looks very much like our other two hens who developed similar symptoms before they died, the last one in January and the one before in May last year.

We have been talking about getting more, but hadn't up till now, mostly becuase I just haven't the time to go looking recently (work has calmed down alot now so was going looking on Monday).  Now I feel that we must be looking after them very badly if all of them seem to go the same way.  They were all wormed regularly, are free range but get layers mash and a handful of corn in the evening.  Have fresh water, grit is available as is oyster shell.  There are no signs of mite or lice.  We bought them off a friend who sells POL's, but I wonder if these hens are very cross breed, ie their parents and grandparents were hybrids?  Would that cause problems?  In terms of new hens (and we were going for hybrids again but not ISA's, probably columbian black tail or Lohmanns (we like the colour), but what should we look for apart from the conditions in which they are raised and vaccination.  Should hybrids be first line hybrids (ie parents are not hybrids).   At the moment am feeling as though we shouldn't get any more but would miss having them.

[treacleminer]

My warrens (ISA browns) also died quite young - I think they have been developed almost as 'egg laying machines' - so lay very strongly for the first part 2 years of their short life and then are prone to problems from that point.
Don't go thinking that it is your fault, it sounds as though they will have had a good albeit short life, where they have been able to free-range and do 'chickeny things'.
If you are concerned that there is the possibility of something enviromental you could always give your hen house a very thorough disinfect and leave both it and the ground empty for a month or so before introducing new stock.

don't give up though - treat yourself to some new chickens - and enjoy them

[North Devon Dumpling]

Funny you say about the hen house, we were just saying that we won't get any more until we have given the house a very thorough disinfect; it is cleaned regularly and we have never - touch wood - had lice or mite problems or rats or mice; but as you say it would be a good idea.  Thanks for your message, it makes me feel better, I do agree that they are bred as egg laying machines and she was laying like a trouper up until recent weeks, when we had all 4 we hardly had a day without having 100% lay and that can't be good for a long life.  We are lookign for a hardy (they have always been very small hens) free range hybrid breen which will have a fair egg production rate but nothing like the ISA's.  Would rather have hens that live longer and lay less.

[Sassy]

My first hens were hybrids and died after about 2 1/2 years. I now have pure breeds as I don't think it was anything I did wrong just like you. If you are happy to have hens that live longer but lay less then go down the pure breed line. They will lay a similar number of eggs as hybrids but not all in the first 2 years. There are peeps who have older hybrids though. I have Light Sussex which are a dual purpose breed, good layers and very hardy, but there are loads of others out there. Good luck

[GrannieAnnie]

Yes you are right that hybrids hens are only bred to last 2 years as the laying goes down after that and the farmers get rid of them.  but some do lve a longer life, although not always still laying.  Aunt Sally's are 4.5 now I think!

These hybrids are bred genetically now.  Most are a cross between a light Sussex and a Rhode Island Red, but there are bits of other breeds bred into them say for good egg laying qualities, but they are not a hybrid x hybrid.

Some people who breed their own, just cross hybrid with hybrid, which is like saving seeds from an F1 hybrid plant, you never know what you are going to get or what it's quality is like.

A chap up the road from us sells Bluebelle trios, cockerel and 2 hens, but the chicks that result are different colours!  because a bluebelle is a hybrid. 

[North Devon Dumpling]

Thanks folks your comments and advice (as always) has been very helpful and am feeling a bit more less miserable now.  Also Madam seems to have cheered up ALOT, very lively, eating everything around, scratching and sunbathing (yesterday).  No more eggs and infact she hasn't even been near the nest box since I cleared it out last week.  Hen menopause    It is almost as she was getting a bit stressed about not laying and seems to have now accepted  that she isn't going to any more (know this is unlikely but this is what it seems like).  In any case for our next girls we will be looking for first generation hybrids (pretty sure she was a hybrid/hybrid, possibly of a few generations from what I know of lady we bought them from).  Hopefully this one will keep going for a bit longer (4.5 years?!).  Thanks again, a great site this for help and support. 

[Aunt Sally]

Two of my hens are Bovans Nera, an egg laying hybrid.  One is 4.5 and one is nearly 5 she has laid me over 850 eggs 

[Henlady]

do you count how many eggs you get from each hen Aunt Sally,I thpught i was only us newbies with only a few eggs to our names that did that.  My family laugh at me for keeping shells to try and match to hens.

[Aunt Sally]

Sadly Henlady, I do   

And 850 eggs is about 55Kg of eggs.  I find that totally amazing 

[Henlady]

so how many hens do you have Aunt Sally?

I am still trying to reconcile the fact that the same hen lays an egg with a different coloured shell.  Only one is laying so far and the 2 confirmed lays have been collected minutes after she left the house.

[Aunt Sally]

I only have 3 hens.  I've a very small garden