Pekin laying for too long?

[Marilla]

Hi All,

I am concerned that my Pekin is laying too many eggs. She started laying in the Fall 2013 and she has not stopped - still laying one a day, everyday. It is November 11, 2014. I have her on Mazuri Breeder. I tried weaning her to half breeder food and half maintenance and the egg shells were soft so I put her back on Breeder food only. Should I be concerned?

Thanks for your responses in advanced!

Frances

 

[chooks4life]

Hi Marilla and

Some bantam lines were bred for laying ability, a long time ago, even Silkies were, though mostly we tend to forget that. (When I say 'we' I refer to others like myself, hobbyist enthusiasts without being true aficionados).

If she remains in good health, I expect she will be fine. I would keep the good feed up to her, since soft-shelled eggs can risk her life if she prolapses or gets severely bound. Layer fatigue is a concern to try to avoid as well, so keeping calcium sources up to her will also help. She may need an additional source of calcium just in case.

Has she tried to brood? If she does and you let her, that will give her a break.

With some of my little Pekin mixes, if I kept removing all eggs, they would lay consistently for quite long periods, but if I left eggs and let them brood, they would lay as little as 20 eggs a year, stopping as prompted by hormones to brood, and rear chicks.

Personally I'd think a heavy/regular laying banty breed could be a good line to continue with, to service customers like those who want both pets and producers that won't be out of place in the average surburban backyard.

Best wishes.

 

[Orca5094]

Do you collect the eggs daily? If you haven't already tried it, you can start leaving the eggs where she lays them (does she lay them in the same place?). That could encourage her to finish out a clutch and then sit on them ("go broody"). Like chooks4life said up there, that would give her a break from laying for awhile. If she does sit for you, I'd let her incubate for 3-4 weeks and then discard the eggs. If the eggs are possibly fertile and you don't want them to hatch, you can just shake the eggs really really REALLY well as she lays them so they will not develop. (You can also mark each egg as it is laid and shaken so you know which ones are new each day and need to be shaken.)

 

[Marilla]

Thank you chooks4life and and Orca5094,

This is great advice. She is a pet so she is outside during the day and inside at night where she lays. I will start leaving the eggs in her nest and see what happens. Today she laid one in the morning like she always does and then when I got home tonight, I found a broken soft-shell egg on the ground. Should I be worried? As you can tell I am new at this - she was a rescue - probably an Easter present that someone dumped in a creek near me.

Frances

 

[Orca5094]

The soft-shelled egg was probably just due to her laying so much and not having enough calcium left in her system to make the shell. You can try giving her extra calcium with her food (crushed oyster shell for example) and that should help. I wouldn't be worried, it just happens sometimes when they don't have enough calcium to match their egg production. Hoping she'll slow down on the laying for you soon!

Also, kudos for you for taking her in!

 

[Marilla]

Thanks, Orca,

We love her! I plan to get her a friend in the Spring. I think she will be happier