@Shadrach what do you think about the possibility that the diet caused, or partially caused, her problem?
Edited to clarify... the weight loss diet I have them on.
I think they got fat on pasture seed I threw before I had the pullets. Also, Rusty, my first-ever chicken loss, laid a few softies and quickly developed EYP. The first vet missed it, but the second vet quickly noted she had a broken keel bone. Thoughts?
I think it's a very complicated subject.
The chicken keepers here view lash eggs and shell less eggs as miscarriages much like in humans if there is not some obvious other cause. Given some of the diets the chickens here on these mountains eat and still manage to lay perfectly good eggs, would I think, suggest that diet is not such a critical factor for free range chickens.
Some chicken keepers will tell you such problems are hereditary and happily tell you that that particular hens great grandmother suffered from the same complaint. it's major advantage of having long term breeding flocks; you have a history to refer to.
When one considers the percentage of calcium contained in free range cows milk who eat primarily grass, a calcium deficit in free range chickens looks improbable. What the free range chickens here do often fall sort on is protein and this can be seen in feather banding in some flocks.
My own view with regards to the problems often reported in back yard flocks bought from hatcheries, farm stores and many breeders is the stock quality is poor because a few imported chicken are used to produce the hatching eggs over and over. If you add to this the breeding to produce more and more eggs, plus the breeding to produce birds that meet some SOP then you have a genetic disaster on your hands and that is what I believe I see in many US backyard flocks.
The Leghorn in Italy (Tuscany area) is a completely different chicken in all bar looks to those in the batteries in the UK and elsewhere. The same can be said for many of the breeds and it's not just restricted to the high production breeds.
A brief tour of these forums and an assessment of who is breeding, how and why will help to illustrate the problem.
I believe the problems you are having with your hens are primarily due to poor genetics.
If one was to look for a bull to service some cows and knew what one was doing one would look very carefully at the prospects, expecting to be made aware of that bulls history, the state of his offspring etc etc. You wouldn't go and pick an off the shelf bull should such be available.
So, part of the problem is the prospective chicken keepers view of chickens which in the US in particular is a high turnover mass produced and basically worthless piece of livestock.
So, if you really want to keep chickens and they are likely to end up as pets which may live for ten to twelve years then make the effort to find good stock and avoid a lot of the heartbreaking one can read on these forums.
Chicken enthusiasts travel across continents to find good quality breeding stock. There is a very experience chicken keeper and breeder on these forums called chicken canoe who will only add to his genetic pool from flocks here in Spain. There are others but they don't post that much because many people just don't want to hear what they have to say.
I have the same problem. The few answers I have are often not what people want to hear.
I understand this, all too well. I’m hoping with outcrossing to be able to avoid this in my girls offspring. Working from where I’m at from a breeding perspective... for sustainability, not super high production or a SOP in a particular breed. Poor chickens, all we can do is give them the best care, and lives we can. It’s our hearts that get broken, but they only see our love and kindness, so in the end I think it’s worth it. Though I won’t ever be seeking these breeds out either, I can harden my heart to take them in, knowing I’m going to cry, and miss them awfully, and make the hardest decision ever sometimes, but that they will have better lives, if I need to, I can.
ants are acidic.
) i only would if i absolutely had to.
today we threw a surprise party for my teenagers gden bday that passed last wkend 
) it dips down to freeze again 
Still I look at that white stuff or read about sub freezing temperatures and thing gee.... Florida looks fairly temperate. Aside: I’ve always wanted to get old, retire to Florida (or Louisiana, as I got older and more familiar with the states...) like a good Canadian snowbird. Take up knitting and spend six month less a day down south (the winter ones most obviously!) so I can keep my pension but be warm and see pretty reptiles. One day I will win the lottery, have a greenhouse over part of my moat, and have several pet alligators tokeep the sheepand in laws at bay!
happy birthday Fat Bird!!
