soft shells and egg eating and feather picking yikes!

[bldrchicken]

I have had our 6 chickens about 14 months. They have always laid hard-shelled eggs. recently one of the buffs began laying very fragile eggs, and when she steps out of the nest, it breaks - then, some of the other chickens have figured this out, and they eat the egg. they have never eaten a hard-shelled egg that was not already broken. Oddly, it's only this one buff. the other two buffs aren't laying at all (that's another issue-why would two 15month old buffs not be laying at this time of year?) Our americana, barred rock and redstar are all laying VERY hard shelled eggs. Someone suggested that those chickens are keeping the buff away from the oyster shell, but generally the buffs are the bullies in our flock. I put out a second dish to allow some choice - and have been using crushed eggshell too, in case for some reason the buff recently decided she didn't like oyster shell any more. I have not changed feed, shell, or anything else. I raised the lay boxes up so the hens can't see directly into the lay boxes from the floor, which they used to be able to do. they still hop up there and eat the broken egg. Nothing seems to work. I've heard about the roll-away boxes, but the egg is so soft, it would never roll, just squish. I have made up a mix of yogurt, shell, and even crushed human calcium tablets, which they eat voraciously. still soft shells.

on a different note, the buffs are eating the feathers out of the chest of our barred rock. she just sits there and lets it happen. none of the other chickens pick feathers. Once again, our feed is the same (18% protein) so I don't know why it's suddenly happening. everything was fine for the past year, just now in the past 2 months things are out of control! our coop is almost 30 sq feet for 6 hens. seems plenty big, plus they get another hundred sqft out in the run, and then a fenced area when we are home that is huge. help??

 

[emys]

The soft eggs shells and the stopped laying could be related and both might be attributed to a molt?? Are you seeing wing feathers missing on the ones who aren't laying and the soft shell gal??

The feather picking can also be related to molt if that's what is going on...or

If they aren't molting, possible mites - they can sap strength to the point of non-laying and soft shell eggs if there area lot of them. (If sparrows can get in the run or they free range at all this is a possibility.

If not either of the above, feather picking can be related to boredom as well. Do they have a dusting area? New things to look at once in awhile?

 

[bldrchicken]

thanks for the ideas. none of the girls are in molt right now - they did in the fall, and most of them are fully re-feathered. the buffs are very fluffy and feathered. I have not seen any bugs either - they had some lice, but I dusted them, and added DE to their dusting area, and that now seems resolved too. hmm, new things to look at? Should I show them a movie ? Maybe "chicken run"?


thanks!

 

[emys]

What about the treats? If you feed too much supplemental sugars (fruit) or starches (scratch grains) you won't see anything immediately, the effect is cumulative. Over time, the chickens become protein deficient because the high protein feed you put out makes up less and less of their total diet. Just trying to throw out ideas for you...and I'm running out.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Egg Drop Syndrome Incubation period 3 to 5 days Duration 4 to 10 weeks
Egg drop syndrome is an infectious disease of laying hens caused by a hemagglutinating adenovirus and characterized by thin shelled and shell less eggs in otherwise healthy birds. The natural hosts for EDS virus are ducks and geese, but has become a problem with chickens of all ages . The disease is most severe in broiler breeders and brown egg layer strains, less so in white egg breeds. EDS was first introduced into chickens through contaminated vaccine. Transmission occurs by any of the conventional methods of disease spread. Infected birds excrete the virus in the feces. Vertical transmission is considered the primary mode of spread. Clinical signs are loss of color in pigmented eggs, followed by thin shelled or shell less eggs. Egg production drops by 40 percent. Virus isolation should be done in duck or goose embryos or cell cultures of duck or goose origin. Harvested allantoic fluid or cell culture should be checked for hemagglutinating activity in chicken RBC . There is no successful treatment . The endemic form in breeders can be controlled by washing and sanitizing incubators and egg trays before reuse. In layers, molting will restore egg production. Prevention is through the control of vertical transmission. Endemic EDS is associated with the egg-packing stations, as contaminated egg trays can be a major factor in spread. Virus is also present in fecal material, so hygienic procedures are required.

List of egg problems:
http://www.blpbooks.co.uk/articles/egg_problems/egg_problems.php

Thin-shelled eggs and shell-less eggs link:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

Link to protein. Scroll 3/4 of the way down to #4:
http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html

Hope this helps.

 

[emys]

All good stuff Celtic Druid - there is one I didn't think of in the second link you posted.

Saline water Desalinate, dilute or do not use drinking water containing problem levels of salts.

Do you have a water softener bldrchicken? In the summer you'd bypass the water softener with the hose, in winter you'd likely use tap water...its a thought.

It's an easier fix than Egg Drop Syndrome...​

 

[bldrchicken]

thanks for all the info - I'll look into those websites. I've thought about the scratch issue _ I don't think I throw out too much, but since it's now warm, might just stop it for a while and see.

as to water, in the summer we use a well, which we did last summer, but in winter it is shut down, and we use inside tap water. I don't think either water is esp. salty, as far as I know. more things to look at and think about.