Her time ending?

[Ascholten]

One of my girls, she's going on probably 5 years old now. Im pretty sure she's a RIR. Last season she was laying absolutely HUGE eggs that had banding on them. (IMO a sign of something, maybe not harmful, but not quite working right anymore, possibly age related)

anyways, she took a break from egg laying over the winter.

She's back at it now, or at least trying to it seems. About once a week she'll get into the egg box and spend some time in there, and when she comes out, all I see is a bit of yolk mess on the shavings.

I don't see any egg shells or parts of them, so don't think she's eating the eggs. If she was I'd think there's be at least some shell that fell thru to the bottom of the shavings they set on. There is none. I don't see any real egg white mess either, just seems like yolk. Also if she was eating eggs, Id think she'd be going after the other girls' eggs too, and she is not.

Once I found a shell less egg in the bottom area but after that, about once a week or so, she goes up and does this. I know she's very old in chicken years so there's that.

She's eating regular layer feed, and I put PLENTY of oyster shell for her to eat as much as she wants to ! She's very healthy that I can tell. legs look good, comb looks good, eyes bright, she's active and as bratty as ever ! She does not appear in any pain or anything wrong with her really, besides this. They also free range so she gets her share of bugs, and my Blueberries as well $#^^%%$#. !!

She's not breaking anything inside her, ie like a shell broke and she's got shells inside her still, that's not happening.

Im not so much worried about not getting any eggs, but more concerned about her. If this is kind of a thing that happens sometimes as they get old, then so be it. Im more concerned that I might be missing something I need to Do if there really is a problem and Im missing it. Anything I need to be checking for or treating for type thing.

Any suggestions or anyone else have this happen or what?

Thanks
Aaron

 

[Opiumbrella]

One of my girls, she's going on probably 5 years old now. Im pretty sure she's a RIR. Last season she was laying absolutely HUGE eggs that had banding on them. (IMO a sign of something, maybe not harmful, but not quite working right anymore, possibly age related)

anyways, she took a break from egg laying over the winter.

She's back at it now, or at least trying to it seems. About once a week she'll get into the egg box and spend some time in there, and when she comes out, all I see is a bit of yolk mess on the shavings.

I don't see any egg shells or parts of them, so don't think she's eating the eggs. If she was I'd think there's be at least some shell that fell thru to the bottom of the shavings they set on. There is none. I don't see any real egg white mess either, just seems like yolk. Also if she was eating eggs, Id think she'd be going after the other girls' eggs too, and she is not.

Once I found a shell less egg in the bottom area but after that, about once a week or so, she goes up and does this. I know she's very old in chicken years so there's that.

She's eating regular layer feed, and I put PLENTY of oyster shell for her to eat as much as she wants to ! She's very healthy that I can tell. legs look good, comb looks good, eyes bright, she's active and as bratty as ever ! She does not appear in any pain or anything wrong with her really, besides this. They also free range so she gets her share of bugs, and my Blueberries as well $#^^%%$#. !!

She's not breaking anything inside her, ie like a shell broke and she's got shells inside her still, that's not happening.

Im not so much worried about not getting any eggs, but more concerned about her. If this is kind of a thing that happens sometimes as they get old, then so be it. Im more concerned that I might be missing something I need to Do if there really is a problem and Im missing it. Anything I need to be checking for or treating for type thing.

Any suggestions or anyone else have this happen or what?

Thanks
Aaron

Is she a RIR or is she a red sex link? This is spot on for red sex links as they age. Reproductive issues are usually their cause of death, sadly as they are bred to lay, without concern for the cost to their health. I won’t buy sex links or leghorns anymore for this reason, as I can’t bear to watch it happen. But I have several rescue red hens that are going through exactly this atm. I give them an oregano supplement in their water to help fight infection, and I give them turmeric to help with inflammation, and just spoil them as best I can. <3 if they seem to be in pain, devils claw is great for that as well.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Might not be much you can do. My older hens, the ones that still lay at least, struggle with thin shells, off the roost laying, overall poorer quality eggs... supplementing calcium only goes so far when their reproductive system is no longer working like it used to.