Stopped laying and Soft Eggs

[McPickle88]

Good Morning! So we have had a traumatic weekend with Dog attacks and hawk attacks resulting in 2 injured hens and a death. Will the stress of that make a hen stop laying? I am new to chickens and they just starting laying 3 weeks ago and I was getting one a day from each hen and now a healthy hen has stopped and when she does it is soft. Is she just stoppin g for winter or is it stress. My 2 injured ladies have stopped as well but I know that is because they are trying to heal and I assumed they are probably done till spring. Any advise?


Oh and when do ducks start to lay? I have a 5 month old Pekin and she hasn't laid yet.

 

[6BeachChicks]

@Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock

 

[6BeachChicks]

Are they not in a safe space? Do they have layer feed and oyster shells and grit?

 

[McPickle88]

Are they not in a safe space? Do they have layer feed and oyster shells and grit?

They are in my back yard. They were safe and all of a sudden my Pyrenees decided he wanted to attack and a hawk found them as well. They are now in a small run under their coop till we can get them a larger one built. They have layer feed and grit. I have not bought them oyster shells.

 

[azygous]

How did you treat the injured hens? Did you treat for shock? Yes, any stress of any sort can curtail laying.

I hope you are reassessing you coop and run security.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Good Morning! So we have had a traumatic weekend with Dog attacks and hawk attacks resulting in 2 injured hens and a death. Will the stress of that make a hen stop laying? I am new to chickens and they just starting laying 3 weeks ago and I was getting one a day from each hen and now a healthy hen has stopped and when she does it is soft. Is she just stoppin g for winter or is it stress. My 2 injured ladies have stopped as well but I know that is because they are trying to heal and I assumed they are probably done till spring. Any advise?


Oh and when do ducks start to lay? I have a 5 month old Pekin and she hasn't laid yet.

How old are they?

Stress can affect production, so if your pullets just now came into lay and they have been injured/stressed, this is very likely the cause of all your laying issues.

Are the pullets that are injured recovering ok?

For the pullet that is laying soft shelled eggs, you can give her 1 Caltrate per day for 3-5 days to see if that helps firm up the egg shells.

 

[6BeachChicks]

They are in my back yard. They were safe and all of a sudden my Pyrenees decided he wanted to attack and a hawk found them as well. They are now in a small run under their coop till we can get them a larger one built. They have layer feed and grit. I have not bought them oyster shells.

You need oyster shells. Do you have a run? Something predator proof like mine?

 

[McPickle88]

How did you treat the injured hens? Did you treat for shock? Yes, any stress of any sort can curtail laying.

I hope you are reassessing you coop and run security.

I have put a antiseptic spray on daily and triple antibiotic. I have them inside and safe with electrolyte water and food. The healthy one outside are in their enclosure till we build a larger one. We were letting them free range and they were so happy. But, we can no longer do that since my puppy is being naughty. We are going to look into some training to try to repair his attitude. The soft eggs actually started before the attack on one of the healthy hens. I now only have 2 healthy hens, 2 inured and a rooster and a duck.

 

[azygous]

Besides treating the affected hens for shock, I suggest you give them a calcium boost with this.

Give one whole tablet a day directly into the beak until eggs are coming out normal again. This is an intense calcium therapy to correct calcium deficiency. Oyster shell is necessary to keep blood calcium levels adequate for shell making. So, buy a bag and find a way to provide it to the hens as free choice. Don't try to mix it into their feed. That will not work out.

 

[McPickle88]

How old are they?

Stress can affect production, so if your pullets just now came into lay and they have been injured/stressed, this is very likely the cause of all your laying issues.

Are the pullets that are injured recovering ok?

For the pullet that is laying soft shelled eggs, you can give her 1 Caltrate per day for 3-5 days to see if that helps firm up the egg shells.

They are 6months old give or take! they are still young! Just went out and checked both healthy hens laid firm eggs today. The soft layer must have been the one killed yesterday evening. I just found an egg shell in my sunroom and yolk. I think princess leia ate her egg! I am ok with that if it helps her recover!

Princess Leia is doing well! I am having to keep her wounded area on her back covered with Gauze she keeps messing with it but she should recover fine she is ready to go outside but I will not let her!

Camilla is still looking really rough, which she will for a long time since her wound is down to the meat. I have moist gauze on her wound so Princess doesn't peck her. They are laying together as we speak in my sunroom! I think as long as I can keep Camilla's wound from getting infected she should recover. But, she has a long road ahead of her and she will live inside for a long time.