Solitary chicken - need advice

[Guest]

Poor Evangeline! I had decided that she was an internal layer. Her tummy is fat and she waddles, but other than that she seems well enough, although a bit slow to get to the treats. She visits the nest box, but I only ever saw anything produced way back in July/Aug - until today, when I found 2 softies in the poo tray. She is OK - last time she laid softies she hunched up and was quite sorry for herself, and she is not like that. Perhaps it is a good thing that the 'eggs' are coming out instead of dropping into her belly? Any comments, opinions or ideas?

[mostin]

I've never heard of an internal layer before, sorry to intrude on your thread but what is that?

[Guest]

Well, I AM still quite a novice myself.... But I think that her tubes inside aren't lined up properly, so she produces and egg, but it doesn't fall into the tube that leads to her vent (notice the technical terminology in this explanation) so that instead of coming out, it drops, shelless into her abdominal cavity. Some of the egg gets reabsorbed by the hen's body, so hopefully she won't actually burst. However, if all the eggy stuff gets infected a hen can get egg peritonitis... She seems well enough at the moment. I think Egluntine has had a chicken for about 3 years like this......

[mostin]

I learn something new every day on this forum