Soft shell and stopped laying

[NSChickenMamma]

We have a couple feed store laying hens that are just over a year old. They have always laid a nice large brown egg every day. About a two months ago, one of them started laying eggs with very thin shells and then stopped all together. The other isl still laying fine.
Have tried giving her oyster shell and yogurt to see if that would help, but nothing.

Any ideas or suggestions what is going on and what I can try

Thanks

 

[ECBW]

Only I would suggest is crushed eggshells. They seem to like it better than oyster shells.

I had one that had the same problem but at 3 years old. She was healthy in every other way. So I figure that her shell organ was, well, sub par by nature.

 

[Judy]

Unfortunately, there are a lot of possibilities. This is a good place to start:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers

She could be eggbound; check her over, see if her belly or vent area look different from the other. If they don't like to be handled, they are pretty easy to handle at night while roosting. Check her for lice / mites while you're at it:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

Worms are a possibility, though they are a little young for the load to be that heavy, and you'd probably be seeing symptoms in both.

She's nearly old enough for the first heavy molt (averages 1.5 years) which will probably stop her laying for a while; maybe she is heading into it a little early because of the heat -- which in itself can slow or even stop laying.

Another possibility, unfortunately, is salpingitis and / or internal laying.

 

[Judy]

Usually they have a heavy moult around 1.5 years, then resume laying, though not at their former rate. This varies a lot. Some lay around half their former number of eggs, some only a few, some nearly as many as before, and some, as mentioned, just stop -- or lay only a few eggs a year. I have a few 3 year olds that lay about 4-5 a week.

 

[mcgillagorilla]

We have a couple feed store laying hens that are just over a year old. They have always laid a nice large brown egg every day. About a two months ago, one of them started laying eggs with very thin shells and then stopped all together. The other isl still laying fine.
Have tried giving her oyster shell and yogurt to see if that would help, but nothing.

Any ideas or suggestions what is going on and what I can try

Thanks

Hi
I just had one that did that and I was so confused - I checked everything and asked everyone. She has just started up again and I have no explanation for you and no reason she should have stopped to my knowledge but check if she is eggbound, is she stressed for any reason??? heat?? moult?
I did make sure that there was extra oyster shell around and put a vitamin supplement in water ( it cant hurt).