Please explain egg laying burnout

[Toddrick]

What should I expect to happen when my high production birds get close to three years old? People seem to insinuate that they will just stop laying, but few seem to speak from experience. What happens to egg quality, and are these older eggs viable for hatching?

 

[donrae]

All my birds come from hatchery stock, so I consider them production birds. I've had some higher layers, like the sex links and leghorns, and some not as high like the Wyandottes and Orpingtons.

I don't use lights, so my girls all take the winter off after they molt. I keep a rolling flock so I (usually) have eggs all year.

I've found the really high production birds like the sex links still lay at 4 years (I sold them after that), probably 3-5 eggs a week. The eggs were still super sized, but shell quality declined. No matter what I fed them or supplemented as far as calcium, etc...they had brittle shelled eggs. The eggs themselves were good quality inside, but the shells got quite fragile. I never tried incubating those, so not sure how the thin shells would have effected the hatch rate.

I've had dual purpose hatchery birds (EE, barred Rock) still laying 3ish eggs a week at 5+ years, with good shell and egg quality.

I've hatched eggs from 3 and 4 year old hatchery birds and their offspring with no problems. Got some in the incubator as we speak

 

[Toddrick]

That's the kind of info I am looking for. Asides from thin shells, are they pale and more often misshapen?

That's how my sister's RSL'S eggs look, and we've tried hatching ove 50 of them with zero success. I'm thinking the shell quality must be the issue because they are fertilized. It's not her incubator, because I gave her some of my eggs, and those were the only ones to hatch.

So I'm looking for confirmation that this is normal, and wondering if anyone has had any luck hatching eggs like this.

But I do also seek a general understanding of burnout. The last reply was really good.

 

[donrae]

I didn't have a color change on mine, or mis-shapen. I don't recall an increase in shell-less or otherwise "off" eggs, either.

the only rsl eggs I hatched were when they were young, probably under 2 years. After that I got intrigued by the barred Rock/EE/Leghorn project and just ate the rsl eggs

 

[cicknmama]

That's the kind of info I am looking for. Asides from thin shells, are they pale and more often misshapen?

That's how my sister's RSL'S eggs look, and we've tried hatching ove 50 of them with zero success. I'm thinking the shell quality must be the issue because they are fertilized. It's not her incubator, because I gave her some of my eggs, and those were the only ones to hatch.

So I'm looking for confirmation that this is normal, and wondering if anyone has had any luck hatching eggs like this.

But I do also seek a general understanding of burnout. The last reply was really good.

I have a sex link that is getting older and just started getting misshapen eggs with thin or soft shells. Have to take the eggs from the nest box immediately or they get broken. Sometimes I don't get it in time. I have tried everything to try to help her, but think she is just coming out of lay. I have not tried to incubate any of her eggs so can't help you there.

 

[Toddrick]

I have a sex link that is getting older and just started getting misshapen eggs with thin or soft shells. Have to take the eggs from the nest box immediately or they get broken. Sometimes I don't get it in time. I have tried everything to try to help her, but think she is just coming out of lay. I have not tried to incubate any of her eggs so can't help you there.

I'm wondering if the rapid egg deterioration is more of a RSL trait than other breeds. I've heard that from others, like O'Shay, that is but the specifics of the phenomenom are probably different for each type, so it's hard to nail down. At least it sounds like my experience is not unique.

 

[cicknmama]

I'm wondering if the rapid egg deterioration is more of a RSL trait than other breeds. I've heard that from others, like O'Shay, that is but the specifics of the phenomenom are probably different for each type, so it's hard to nail down. At least it sounds like my experience is not unique.

I agree, they are great layers, with an egg almost every day since I've had her. Since they are a hybrid for production it would make sense that they may have age related problems. Mines a sweet girl and very docile, will keep her even with her problems. Feel like its the least I could do for such a hard working hen

 

[mixedUPturk]

Good stuff! I appreciated this read! I dont know any answers to your questions but i want to ask, are ducks the same in this way as chickens? I Know that OLD turkeys arent fertile anymore and it seems like it would spread over all the species and all the breeds to one degree or another... And i agree ill keep my hard workin hens after theyve slowed or stopped, as long as i have space, they really Are earning their retirment!