Older red star not laying? Is this common any ideas?

[KMSonthecoast]

I was given an older RS hen in January. I was told she was 3 but she maybe almost 4 years.

She was laying huge eggs, much bigger then my RIR hens. The eggs were thin shelled and broke occasionally.

I encouraged eating of laying pellets by making a mash for a few weeks and she laid just fine for a few months. Then she laid soft shelled eggs and now no eggs at all?

I wonder if she is just old, if she cannot get enough calcium cause she is a hybrid bird, or if she is ill? She act normally and is the boss of the flock.

Any thoughts or experience with the Red Star breed? This is my first one.

 

[Rich386]

If the shell is soft I would give her some oyster shell. As far as not laying has anything changed?

 

[cubalaya]

you can give her oyster shell to harden the shells but a 3 or 4 year old hen of that type is probably 'laid out'. she will lay fewer and fewer eggs and is almost 'spent'

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I wouldn't expect many or high quality eggs from a four year old RSL. They were bred to lay like crazy for two years, then become cat food.

 

[KMSonthecoast]

Thank you all, I do have oyster shells out and they are on laying mix, but they free range during the day ...I thought she would slow down or quit as she got older but I presumed it would be more gradual...she just stopped laying all together?