Can I STOP her laying ?

[Loving my girls]

This is a shot in the dark for all the Wise chicken geeks out there (of which I am one).

I have a hen who at 5 years old has laid eggs almost every day throughout her adult life.

Personally I don’t particularly like this as I feel it takes too much out of the hen and as she gets older makes her more susceptible to prolapse. I may be wrong but it is my theory.

Anyway Hilda is now spending half each day in the nesting box and lays sorry looking eggs. Photos attached, the white on the egg is not poop but a colour blemish. The end of all her eggs are now dark and crusty. I would really like her to stop laying as I am really worried about her.

I don’t actually think it’s possible but I wondered if anyone knows of any magic formula which will give her her life back and enjoy retirement?

Told you it was a shot in the dark

 

[saysfaa]

Yes. There is a hormone treatment that will stop birds from laying eggs. I think it is an implant but I'm not sure about that part. It lasts six months per treatment. It is used for parrots sometimes. It is very expensive. It is the only thing I have heard of that might stop laying.

Possibly, there might be something treatable regarding the egg coloring, long time in the nest box, and so on. I have no idea what it might be other than anything that supports her health and well-being may help - even things like easing arthritis in case she has some.

For what it is worth, I don't think she is necessarily not enjoying her life even with so much time in the nest box.

 

[Rock17]

Their is an implant that she can get that works for six months but if I remember correctly it costs $500

 

[Loving my girls]

Yes. There is a hormone treatment that will stop birds from laying eggs. I think it is an implant but I'm not sure about that part. It last six months per treatment. It is used for parrots sometimes. It is very expensive. It is the only thing I have heard of that might work.

OMG £143 in uk only !! Can’t get it in the EU which begs the question ‘why ?’

 

[Loving my girls]

Perhaps the alternative would be to provide some sort of lubricant to help her lay ?
Any idea guys ?

 

[saysfaa]

Hm, why what? Why does it cost so much (or so much less in the UK), why would anyone use it? Why is it not available in Europe? Why... about something else? I don't know what you are asking (if it is asking instead of just exclaiming)

 

[fluffycrow]

The first thing that comes to mind is letting her brood. At the very least, if you are not interested in having chicks, letting her sit for at least a few days to bring her laying cycle to a hault

 

[Loving my girls]

Hm, why what? Why does it cost so much (or so much less in the UK), why would anyone use it? Why is it not available in Europe? Why... about something else? I don't know what you are asking (if it is asking instead of just exclaiming)

It’s an exclamation really, with a tinge of annoyance. We can’t get anything from uk anymore because of Brexit. Grrrr !

 

[Loving my girls]

The first thing that comes to mind is letting her brood. At the very least, if you are not interested in having chicks, letting her sit for at least a few days to bring her laying cycle to a hault

Sorry misunderstanding: she’s not broody but old, she’s having trouble laying and her eggs are weird. She stays for half a day in the nesting box trying to lay, honestly it takes her over three ours every day. Some days she doesn’t lay but most she does. I’m worried about her trying to lay for so long and just want her to enter retirement with her sisters.

 

[fluffycrow]

I understand . That's why my proposition would be to try and see if she'd like to sit. Not a permanent solution, but at least a little break for her

Sorry misunderstanding: she’s not broody but old, she’s having trouble laying and her eggs are weird. She stays for half a day in the nesting box trying to lay, honestly it takes her over three ours every day. Some days she doesn’t lay but most she does. I’m worried about her trying to lay for so long and just want her to enter retirement with her sisters.