I have to admit that I googled "cervical dislocation" --- I thought maybe you'd found a cure! I'm going to have to do some research on this and get back to you since we seem to be in exactly the same boat. Separating the hens made it clear that one was laying daily and one not at all (or laying thin-shelled eggs that she crushes and eats, which is my guess.) We've been dosing her with eggshells and Japanese Beetles to no avail. I'll let you know if I find any cure!

I've got an ISA Brown laying soft-shelled eggs at the moment, too.

I'm not sure why it happens. There is another ISA Brown of the same age in the same tractor, and her eggs are nice and hard. We feed them calcium supplements, and they seem equally healthy to look at. Neither behaves any different to the other.

Is cervical dislocation the best treatment for this? Or will she come good in time?

Can I add that I am now eternally grateful for your little complementary e-book and videos? We had a hawk attack today and my consolation prize was the dead chicken and a three hour learning experience. It's one ugly, small, carcass but I successfully cleaned that hen with nothing more than your guide to help me. (OK, three cats tried to "help" and one even nipped me for not sharing...)

Today was a real testament to having a farm dog or two. One scared off the hawk & stood guard over the hen while the other one alerted me inside.

This is a great idea! Our chickens adore June bugs --- we accidentally caught a few in pitchers of water last year, and they were even better received than Japanese beetles. We'll have to try your method --- I could see a kiddie pool of water under a light catching a lot!

Back when I was a kid soooooo long ago, I worked on a farm in Oklahoma for a summer. The June Bugs were in plentiful supply and in fact got into everything.

In order to get rid of many of them the farmer put out a BIG wash tub with a light over it. The bugs would circle the light and very many would end up in the tub.

Now he didn’t use them as feed for his many chickens but instead burned them as the liquid in the tub was gasoline. It’s a thought that using water instead of the gas would be a way of collecting many June Bugs as well as other insects for your chicks.

The light was quite low above the tub, maybe 2 to 3 feet, and the tub was always full every morning.

So, maybe you have a water holding container available to try and supplement your chicken feed. The surface area is more important than the volume and if possible the light should be the only one lit outside for maximum effect.

Hope this is a little food for thought.

I hope it makes you as happy as it made me!

I love this idea for chickens. I would never have thought of this. I am going to get for my chickens.

Ruth

I'd say it's about the standard (18 inches off the ground) that we recommend.

How far off the ground is John's waterer?

Thanks for the great idea! Bran it is when the next pasty butt strikes!