HELLO FELLOW CHICKEN LOVERS!

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rabbitfire

rabbitfire

Hatching
7 Years
Dec 22, 2012
3
0
7
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MY NAME IS SHELLY. IM A NEW MEMBER AND ARE NOT SURE HOW TO SHARE
STORIESABOUT ME AND MY BELOVED HEN "FERRAHLEESE". I ORIGANALLY HAD TWO ROOSTERS I RAISED FROM 2DAYS OLD. KIRTY AND CINNOMON. SOMEONE KILLED THEM AFTER 8 MONTHS OLD YOU CAN FIND THEIR VIDEO ON MY FACE BOOK. SINCE THEN SOMEONE TOLD ME I HAD TO SAVE THIS HEN THAT WAS BEING ABUSED AND WAS DYING. I RUSHED OVER AND BROUGHT HER HOME.
SHE IS MY LIFE. I JUST LOVE HER SOOO MUCH. SHE WAS 8 MONTHS WHEN I GOT HER. I'VE HAD HER FOR 2 1/2YRS. I FEED HER MESH MASH WILD BIRD SEED
SHELLED SUNFLOWER SEEDS GRAPES SPINACH LETTUCE APPLES BROCOLI STRAWBERRIES PASTA YOGART. EVERYDAY. SHE EVEN LIKES A LITTLE BEER WITH ME IN THE EVENING. SHE'S LARGE. ABOUT 8LBS. SHE USE TO HAVE AN EGG A DAY. FOR TWO DAYS AND TAKE A BREAK ON THE THIRD. LATELY SHE CYCLED HER FEATHERS ONCE. DURING THAT TIME THERE WERE NO EGGS.SHE STARTED HAVING A SHELL PROBLEM. WEAK SHELLS WOULD BREAK AND SHE WOULD EAT THEM. NOW SHE GOES WEEKS WITHOUT LAYING. THE LAST FEW EGGS BROKE INSIDE OF HER AND WE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME HELPING HER PASS THE SHELL. LAST WEEK SHE ALMOST DIED. WHEN THE SHELL GETS STUCK IN HER IT SEAMS LIKE SHE CAN'T DIGEST HER FOOD AND JUST WANTS TO SLEEP. SHE STAYS IN THE HOUSE AT NIGHT BECAUSE I LIVE NEXT TO A PARK ON THE OCEAN CLIFFS. THE RACOONS ARE HUGE. SO, TO KEEP HER SAFE SHE SLEEPS WITH ME. IN THE MORNING SHE GOES INTO A COOP. I TAKE HER TO THE PARK DURING LIGHT HOURS TO EAT WORMS AND BUGGS.IM TRYING TO GIVE HER A BEAUTIFUL LIFE. HER AND I ARE VERY CLOSE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT HER SINCE I LOVE HER SO MUCH. AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG? OR IS SHE JUST GETTING OLD? WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT HER EGG PROBLEM FROM TAKING HER LIFE?
 
Greetings from Kansas, rabbitfire, and
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! Great to have you here! Sounds like a chicken couldn't have a better mom. I would suggest a couple of things....you mentioned the eggs breaking inside her or having weak shells. Are you giving her any kind of calcium - like oyster shells? This produces a hard-shelled egg. Also, about her food - although she sounds like she eats well, there may be trace nutrients she needs but is not getting. A balanced hen feed may help her out. And with her age...I am not sure. Seems like some chickens live many years and some only a few.
About BYC - it is a super learning community. If you ever have specific questions or comments, you can look for the appropriate thread and forum. Doing that gives you the most and the best responses to help you out. I hope your chicken gets better. You might post your concerns here https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

Good luck to you and happy holidays!
 
Hello and welcome to BYC
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The story about your hen is so sweet! I agree with Redsoxs about her egg problem. It could be a calcium deficiency. What you can do is up her calcium intake and if that doesn't work you'll have to stop her laying eggs. The only way to do this is to limit her light hours. Most hens need around 14 hours of light per day to keep them in production, some less. If you can reduce her light hours to say, 10 hours per day, that should stop her laying. Good luck!
 
sumi said:
Hello and welcome to BYC
frow.gif
The story about your hen is so sweet! I agree with Redsoxs about her egg problem. It could be a calcium deficiency. What you can do is up her calcium intake and if that doesn't work you'll have to stop her laying eggs. The only way to do this is to limit her light hours. Most hens need around 14 hours of light per day to keep them in production, some less. If you can reduce her light hours to say, 10 hours per day, that should stop her laying. Good luck!
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I agree with Sumi.
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