The Cottage Smallholder

we've had another death in the family...our Maran hen keeled over on Friday night, she looked a bit peaky when we put them to bed, she didn't want to go in, and just stood with her eyes shut, Saturday morning she's in the 'dead chicken' position. (on her back with legs stuck up in the air, so sad, but so funny at the same time), what with the cat and now her...what's next? I've told Mike to stay away from the elderflower champagne containers...you never know

Janet, so sorry about your hen.....they go downhill so fast when sick. I tend to think that once we humans notice anything is wrong it is already too late....the chicken very seldom recovers. Mind you it doesn't stop me from trying to save them or howling when they don't make it.

bernie1966 said:

hi all

so what has the last 4 notes got to do with my hen not laying

We tend to go off subject (or parallel to it) on this forum, plus members add their own problems to the same topic thread. You will get used to our ways if you stay around. 

I think your hens maybe are suffering from the weird weather we have been having, either too wet, too dry or too windy.....all extremes of weather can put them off laying for a while. Some breeds are more prone to it than others. Some hens have an early moult, especially if the weather is very warm, & during this period they will cease producing eggs while they put their energy into growing their new feathers.

You say one of your hens laid a broken egg a while ago.  How do you know that it was broken as she laid it or even before? It could easily have been broken afterwards. Or do you mean it had no proper shell?.

How much room do your hens have & do they have plenty of outside space to scratch around in?

Are you feeding them some kind of greenery (weeds or cabbage leaves etc). They need this for good strong eggs with lovely deep yellow yolks as well as the bought in pellets & mixed corn.

Do you feed the used egg-shells back to them?  Save all the shells & pop them into the oven when you are cooking your own meals. Then crush them up small & add it to their other food. That will add more calcium to their diet, to make stronger egg shells.

Try giving them a higher protein diet, ask your supplier if he has one. You will find every large sack of feed has a label attached to it with the % of protein etc printed on it. 

Sorry about all these questions but to help we need more information.