Elderly cat breathing difficulties when purring

[Mutrix Farmers]

I looked in FAQ but couldn't see anything, so now I'm turning to fellow Omleteers for advice. Apologies in advance for the length of this post.

 

Henrietta (Redcos) has started laying quite rough textured eggs. They are the normal 60g size, shell is a reasonab;le thickness, and their contents are fine. However yesterday she didn't lay in the morning as usual, and by the evening looked very odd. She was standing around as if she was about to poo (tail feathers up sort of stance) but nothing happened, and she was like that for about an hour and a half. Didn't want any treats when I took them out, and looked really dejected.

 

We had to go out so ushered them into the run at 7.30, and closed the eglu door in the dark at 11pm when we returned.

 

When opening them up this morning OH found an egg in the run, perfectly formed, normal size but a very rough texture. She also laid this morning in the nest box, egg not quite as rough all over. Her eggs are sometimes quite thin shelled, but they tend to be smooth if they have a thin shell.

 

What could be the cause of this? She has the same diet as the other 2; added limestone flour, crushed egg shells, greens, only free ranges after 4pm, and normally eats as many pellets and pellet porridge as the others. Her comb is the normal red colour, and this morning having laid 2 eggs in less than 12 hours, she's as bright as a button.

 

Any words of wisdom will be gratefully received.

Edited September 19, 2008 by Guest

[SAB]

No idea as to cause butg I have had similar (and they have tasted fine!)

[chickencam]

Last week Eggy laid a large 92g egg that looked like it had been rolled in sand. I used it to bake a cake and it was fine inside. Their tackle gets a bit muddled sometimes I think especially if they are either quite young or getting on a bit.

 

They often look subdued when they are about to lay an unusual egg.

[Abbey Road Girl]

One of mine lays the biggest eggs but it looks like the hardest work for her. The smaller eggs produced by the other three hens are gorgeous smooth specimens.

 

As mine are all Pepperpots, I'm still puzzling over which hens lay which eggs. Funny thing is that I suspect the biggest and boldest hen of laying the most modest (but lovely dark terracotta) eggs.

[chickencam]

I have 2 Pepperpots the smaller of the 2 is top chook and she lays quite small eggs 58-62g average and quite pale often with a dark area of rough pigment at the top. The other Pepperpot lays large darker eggs that are almost round you certainly can't tell which way up they are meant to be.

[Hen Watch]

I get these all the time. I give limestone flour as one girl likes laying softies and the others deposit the extra calcium on the shells. I also get ones with wrinkles in the shell (like rings around Saturn), torpedo eggs, all sorts. Take a look at these pictures below. I get speckled bits usually at one end of an egg (like last picture).

 

http://www.omlet.co.uk/guide/guide.php?view=Chickens&cat=Eggs&sub=strange

[Mutrix Farmers]

thanks henwatch. Henry could have laid all the eggs in the link you posted. She was late laying again yesterday afternoon, perfectly shaped 62 g egg but quite rough textured. This morning though she has laid the smoothest egg ever. I may have been overdoing the limestone flour, so have cut back on that.

[Mutrix Farmers]

just read another post from Egluntine about Egg Drop Syndrome - symptoms are thin shelled rough eggs. Is this what Henry has I wonder? There is no treatment though, so will the virus just eventually go away?

[Egluntyne]

Apparently there is no treatment.

 

One of my books mentions that it seems only to affect brown egg layers and that a multivitamin type tonic may help.

[Mutrix Farmers]

Well just an update really. Whatever was the matter with Henrietta isn't affecting her anymore. I cut down on the limestone flour and now she lays every day a lovely smooth 60g + egg.

 

Thanks Omleteers for you help and support