Reduced Production and some soft shells

[hamillard]

I have 13 chickens. I have one that lays a soft shell all the time. Overall, they went from laying about 10 -12 eggs a day and now it is only about 7-8. This happened over the last three to four months. I am wondering if I am not feeding them a balanced diet.
They have access to 16% layer feed 24/7 mixed with some steamed garlic.
They get some scratch each morning.
They get oyster shells.
I sprout lentil beans and they get that each morning mixed with a little oyster shell flour.
I grow wheat grass and they get that each morning.
I also give them fly larvae each morning.
When I have scraps, I give them that.

I put oregano oil and apple cider vinegar in their water.

They are all 2 -2.5years old. We live in Colorado so I don't think it is too hot. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Ridgerunner]

One common reason they stop laying it the molt. This could be the fall molt because the days are getting shorter or a partial or full molt for different possible reasons. Have you noticed extra feathers flying around?

A very common reason we think they are not laying is that they are hiding a nest on you. If yours free range the nest or nests could be anywhere. Even if they are confined to a coop and run they can be really good at hiding a nest.

Is something getting the eggs? Many critters that eat eggs leave signs behind, signs like eggshells or wet spots. Some critters that do not leave signs behind in Colorado are snakes, canines, and humans. A snake will eat several eggs and then disappear for a few days while it digests them, then return for more. If it is a consistent drop it is probably not a snake. A fox or coyote would probably be more interested in your chickens but does a dog have access? A dog might not bother your chickens but could eat eggs. A human does not necessarily mean a stranger. Especially if it is consistent it is often someone you know.

So what can you do? If your hens free range lock them in the coop/run for a few days and see if egg production increases. Or if your coop is big enough leave them locked in there most of the day. Do a good search. If production goes up you either locked out an egg thief or kept one from her hidden nest.

Make a discrete mark on a couple of eggs and leave them down there. If they disappear then you know something is getting them.

I don't know what is going on with your eggs. There are many different possibilities. It can be very frustrating. Good luck!

 

[ChicNmom]

Egg production slows down towards fall. As mentioned your birds should molt soon. A

Also, as they get older they do slow down on egg production. The first two years are their prime laying time.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have one that lays a soft shell all the time.

I forgot to address this. If all of your other eggs are hard shelled then you do not have a flockwide problem, you have an individual chicken problem. You do not need to treat the entire flock and mess them up if it is an individual problem.

Do you offer oyster shell or some other calcium supplement on the side? If the only thing they were eating was the Layer feed it should have enough calcium in it for the eggshells, but you are giving them other low-calcium stuff. If the other eggshells are OK they are getting enough calcium from somewhere. But oyster shell are inexpensive, it would not hurt anything to offer them some on the side.

It is highly possible that specific hen either is not eating enough calcium, her body does not absorb sufficient calcium from what she eats, or her shell gland is messed up and does not deposit the shell material even if calcium is available. You can get a calcium supplement at your pharmacy and give her one pill a day. Put it in her beak and see if she will swallow it. That may fix the problem or she may never lay a good egg.

Good luck!

 

[hamillard]

Thanks to those who replied. I appreciate it.