Egg laying problems

[laura70inak]

Hi all! I have a small flock of 5 hens who just started laying a month ago. All was going well until a week ago when we started a new bag of food. Same brand just a new bag. First we had 1 or 2 soft shell eggs. So I bought an extra bag of oyster shell thinking they needed a boost. Then I began feeding that along withtheir fresh food and water plus handfuls of fresh weeds from the garden. Now I am getting 4 soft shells a day and maybe 1 hardshell. The coop is big and clean with chicken picked nesting areas that have nests they built. Now they are not even using the nests they are sitting on the perches and laying soft shell eggs from them. I am at a loss. I have been raising hens on and off for 10 years and this is a first for me.

 

[vfem]

I saw a similiar post here yesterday about the squishy membrane eggs. Getting a lot of comments about the heat being an issue. I saw suggestions for the oyster shells and plain yogurt.

I hope that helps. I think the heat is having a massive effect on the chickens in general. My neighbors are 2 years old and they are not laying right now. Its day 2 with no eggs at all from 3 hens.

 

[ahad]

Hi
this maybe causes by Bronchitis disease!
but this way not!
you said ur birds are ok!
so it causes by heat stress!
you should provide a cooler place for them!
do you saw your birds to open their mouth and breathing ? or open their wing and do same thing?
its because of heat weather!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Stress of any sort can cause this.

 

[KattyKillFish]

hmm. when i was growing up we had a problem like this. do they have heat in the coop? you may want to give them a bit of scratch too. not a whole lot, but just to see if it helps?

maybe add some extra protien to their diet too. you can get live crickets or freeze dried ones t petco or just about any other pet store. live food also keeps them from getting bored. i imagine they've been inside all winter too.


(where are you getting weeds this early?)