Soft Water and other questions

[deeschicks19]

Wondering if anyone knew if soft water could cause diarrhea in a few of my girls. Other than that they seem fine.
Where we live first of all it is Well water and then it is very very very soft water. Not really sure what I could do to change that if it is the cause other than bottle water for them. Which is what we drink.

They have no worms either.

Other question what is the best thing to put in their coop for mites etc prevention. I want to make sure I get that taken care of now that warm weather is here again.

And I am still not getting eggs from all girls. I have 17. Last year (their first year) I would get a egg from almost all each day. I know they slow down in winter but why not picking up. Am I doing something wrong.

 

[dawg53]

I seriously doubt it's a water problem since they were laying an egg just about every day and drinking the same water last year. I would look at what you are feeding them that might cause diarrhea; a change in feed, vitamins, antibiotics and other meds, heat, excessive drinking, too much probiotics or some other type of stress can cause diarrhea. Worms can cause watery diarrhea.
There are different products on the market that can be used for preventing external parasites; poultry dust, sevin dust and of course the liquids (forgot their names because I've never really used them.) I prefer sevin dust. If you decide to use sevin dust for prevention, lightly sprinkle it inside the coop and nests.

 

[Michael Apple]

I seriously doubt it's a water problem since they were laying an egg just about every day and drinking the same water last year. I would look at what you are feeding them that might cause diarrhea; a change in feed, vitamins, antibiotics and other meds, heat, excessive drinking, too much probiotics or some other type of stress can cause diarrhea. Worms can cause watery diarrhea.
There are different products on the market that can be used for preventing external parasites; poultry dust, sevin dust and of course the liquids (forgot their names because I've never really used them.) I prefer sevin dust. If you decide to use sevin dust for prevention, lightly sprinkle it inside the coop and nests.

X2. Feeding too much scratch will also cause hens to get fat and not lay. Make sure they are on a well balanced lay ration mixed with some well ground oyster shell, and give poultry vitamin-mineral- probiotic powder in the waterers 3 days a week. Lack of sunlight during colder months affects Vitamin D3 activation which effects calcium absorption. The sun also stimulates hormonal reaction through the eye which in turn releases egg from the ovary to passage down the oviduct.