Blood on eggs, then stopped laying.

[Michael Apple]

I have a similar problem with one of three BR pullets (10 months old), that stated laying last October and free range daily. The first pullet to start laying had blood smears on the shell. The shell wasn't wet or covered in blood, just some smears. She continued laying such eggs for a few weeks, then stopped altogether. She hasn't laid an egg since early December. The other two pullets consistently lay every day or close to it. I've maintained 16 hours of light daily, and all pullets get the same laying mash (and appropriate treats) and seem quite healthy.
Will the non-laying pullet ever lay again? Is that even possible? She's not even an official "hen" yet!
Any suggestions are appreciated.

Pay closer attention to the hen that isn't laying. What lots of folks do with layers that slow down when they should be producing, is give them an injection of A&D vitamin to prevent calcium deficiency. What you are experiencing isn't outside the norm. Rapid change in weather, long periods of cold weather with little sun causes egg production to halt. Sunlight stimulates a photo receptive gland near the eye of the bird which causes the release of an egg cell from the hen's ovary. I don't believe artificial light can do what the sun can.

Anyhow, I don't want to get off subject too much in regard to supplementation. Make sure the birds have oyster shell. I gauge how much they need by what is left in the feeders. I mix mine in food since I've had a few dumb hens fill their crops up with oyster shell in the past and get crop bound. Use a good quality layer pellet and boost up the protein level by mixing in some grower crumbles. I don't understand the tendency of layer rations to be around 16% protein when 20+% is better. You can either use a good water dispersible vitamin powder like Broiler Max or Avian Super Pack, or you can supplement the feed with something like Red Cell or Poultry Cell @ 1Tablespoon per pound of feed. Mix it up good in a bucket so all the feed is coated, and give them just enough so they will eat all of it. I've tried these methods in the past and they've seemed to help. Then there are hens who are just poor layers due to genetics or some disease. I guessed you would have mentioned some symptoms if you thought your hen had any diseases.

 

[Michael Apple]

I also want to mention something. I believe the small production breeds have a tendency to suffer much more physically. They were preferred smaller by industry so they could be packed in battery cages and forced to lay as many eggs as possible in the most unnatural way. Small bodies producing large eggs burns them out fast. If anything, I believe the more knowledgeable breeders would help out tremendously if these production hybrids were bred to increase their size, thus being able to withstand frequent and large egg laying. I say this due to the instances of prolapse I've had with Gold Sex Links, where I haven't had that problem with what are regarded as Heritage breeds. I thought this was worth mentioning.

 

[Hooligans7]

Pay closer attention to the hen that isn't laying. What lots of folks do with layers that slow down when they should be producing, is give them an injection of A&D vitamin to prevent calcium deficiency. What you are experiencing isn't outside the norm. Rapid change in weather, long periods of cold weather with little sun causes egg production to halt. Sunlight stimulates a photo receptive gland near the eye of the bird which causes the release of an egg cell from the hen's ovary. I don't believe artificial light can do what the sun can.

Anyhow, I don't want to get off subject too much in regard to supplementation. Make sure the birds have oyster shell. I gauge how much they need by what is left in the feeders. I mix mine in food since I've had a few dumb hens fill their crops up with oyster shell in the past and get crop bound. Use a good quality layer pellet and boost up the protein level by mixing in some grower crumbles. I don't understand the tendency of layer rations to be around 16% protein when 20+% is better. You can either use a good water dispersible vitamin powder like Broiler Max or Avian Super Pack, or you can supplement the feed with something like Red Cell or Poultry Cell @ 1Tablespoon per pound of feed. Mix it up good in a bucket so all the feed is coated, and give them just enough so they will eat all of it. I've tried these methods in the past and they've seemed to help. Then there are hens who are just poor layers due to genetics or some disease. I guessed you would have mentioned some symptoms if you thought your hen had any diseases.

Thank you for those suggestions. I read the labels on both the layer mash and leftover non-medicated chick starter, and they both contain 16% protein. This surprised me because I assumed the chick starter would be higher in protein. The layer feed also has identical amounts of calcium -- 3% min, 4% max. So I don't suppose adding some chick starter to their layer feed would do any good, do you? Clearly my girls could use more protein. We do add cleaned, cooked, and crushed egg shells to their cold-morning gruel, which contains cooked oatmeal, milo, cracked corn, wheat, black sunflower seeds, blackstrap molasses, and a little lactose-free skim milk to smooth out its consistency. We serve it warm, and they eat it up quickly and enthusiastically. I could add crushed shells to their regular feed when the weather warms up.
The two pullets that lay consistently produce excellent eggs, just barely shy of qualifying as USDA "large" eggs, and their shells seem to be just as hard as commercially produced eggs. So if they'll eat crushed egg shells do you think oyster shells are necessary? They might, but I really don't know.
Thanks again!

 

[Michael Apple]

Thank you for those suggestions. I read the labels on both the layer mash and leftover non-medicated chick starter, and they both contain 16% protein. This surprised me because I assumed the chick starter would be higher in protein. The layer feed also has identical amounts of calcium -- 3% min, 4% max. So I don't suppose adding some chick starter to their layer feed would do any good, do you? Clearly my girls could use more protein. We do add cleaned, cooked, and crushed egg shells to their cold-morning gruel, which contains cooked oatmeal, milo, cracked corn, wheat, black sunflower seeds, blackstrap molasses, and a little lactose-free skim milk to smooth out its consistency. We serve it warm, and they eat it up quickly and enthusiastically. I could add crushed shells to their regular feed when the weather warms up.
The two pullets that lay consistently produce excellent eggs, just barely shy of qualifying as USDA "large" eggs, and their shells seem to be just as hard as commercially produced eggs. So if they'll eat crushed egg shells do you think oyster shells are necessary? They might, but I really don't know.
Thanks again!

You're welcome.
The organic starter/grower ration I use is 22% protein. Some folks mix gamebird crumbles to boost protein levels. I choose a Starter/Grower sometimes because I cannot find organic game bird crumbles in my area. Crimped oats, fish, skim milk are good protein boosters. Do you ever have diarrhea issues because of the gruel you provide? Probably not if you are using the right amounts and they eat it up before it gets rancid. I have never been favorable to the idea of feeding egg shells to my birds for two reasons. First, I have a concern about egg borne diseases being passed through feeding egg shells. Second, oyster shell is cheap enough, and I don't have to spend extra time gathering and preparing egg shells in feed. I appreciate inventions of good quality supplements like Poultry Cell, Red Cell. Many of these feed producers only consider a lay ration to supplement enough for a hen to lay an egg, when the mineral, vitamin, and protein requirements increase during the breeding season. I think it is important for poultry owners to always follow directions in regard to supplementation because too much of a good thing can be a detriment to health also.

 

[Michael Apple]

Also I am reading an excellent book in regard to poultry nutrition. It's an older book that is now back in print called Feeding Poultry by G.F. Heuser. You may want to pick up a copy.

 

[Hooligans7]

Also I am reading an excellent book in regard to poultry nutrition. It's an older book that is now back in print called Feeding Poultry by G.F. Heuser. You may want to pick up a copy.

Thanks for the tips. I'll check Amazon for the book, and my regional feed supplier for the higher-protein layer feed and other things. (I live at least an hour from everywhere.)
We haven't noticed any diarrhea, possibly because the skim milk is lactose-free.
I make the gruel in small batches, about a four-day supply, which is kept in the 'fridge. I heat the gruel, then add the milk and stir before serving it in a small bowl. It really isn't much, just something warm and tasty on cold mornings.