Single hen

[Plum]

My Sparrow had trouble laying today. She was stood in the garden looking sad for some time then strained for a bit and laid an egg which was normal size and shape but was for the most part very rough and paler. It wasn't soft but looks as though she's low on lubricant.

So what is missing from her diet? Can't be calcium I put extra pot of mixed shell in the run. Any ideas?

[Minnie&Moose]

My Sparrow had trouble laying today. She was stood in the garden looking sad for some time then strained for a bit and laid an egg which was normal size and shape but was for the most part very rough and paler. It wasn't soft but looks as though she's low on lubricant.

So what is missing from her diet? Can't be calcium I put extra pot of mixed shell in the run. Any ideas?

 

Hi Plum,

 

we had one like this today from Minnie our Gingernut Ranger. I didn't see her lay it but found her after the event, dosing in the nest box and looking very miserable. We've not had anything like this before, so I'm keen to know whether it's just a blip or indicative of something more serious.

 

Hope Sparrow's feeling better now. Minnie seems back to her usual, bolshy self this evening

[Plum]

She picked up pretty quickly and laid another egg this morning. They must be queing up inside her. Its not rough but very pale and brown dots from lurking in her tackle I suppose.

I wonder if something she ate dried her up inside or whether it was being in same place caused more deposits on the egg so she couldn't lay it. Mystery to me but at least she seems ok and see what she lays tomorrow.

These are her eggs on the right from Saturday, middle yesterday and left today (a bit squeezed looking).

 

 

Let me know what Minnie lays and I hope she picks up.

[Minnie&Moose]

Hi Plum,

 

no egg from Minnie today but she seems well in herself. Minnie's strange pale egg looked very similar in colour to Sparrow's mishapen one - pale with dark speckles, whereas her eggs normally are similar Sparrow's Saturday egg. Hopefully there'll be a normal looking egg tomorrow - I'll let you know

[Plum]

Hi Minnies mum,

Well Sparrow was all quiet and standing alone when I let them out in the garden then strained and strained and laid a pale rough dry egg again today like the middle egg.

 

The shell is pretty thin so tomorrow I'm looking for calcium supplement and vitamin D (cod liver oil) for them. I really don't want Sparrow to become egg bound or have one break in her. I've stopped all treats (my OH loves feeding them sweetcorn) and I'm worming them.

 

Hope Minnie goes back to normal tomorrow. I think Sparrow has just got low on reserves cos she's laid every day for so long. I don't mind if she doesn't lay I just don't want her to get into difficulties.

[Minnie&Moose]

Hi Plum,

 

sorry to hear Sparrow's laid another troublesome egg. Minnie seemed fine this morning but hadn't laid by the time I left for work. One thing I did notice though is that both she and Moose (who arrived with Minnie last March) suddenly have bald tummies. Minnie definitely was fully feathered the day of the dodgy egg because I checked her over very carefully (she didn't even object when I turned her upside down so I really knew there was something not quite right!). There's no sign of damage to the skin on either hen and both are bright eyed with red combs, and no raised scales on their legs. Both birds do have slightly matted feathers around their vent area, but no obvious signs of lice. However, I've noticed for a week or so that Minnie looked a little 'scruffy' at times, and today Moose's wing feathers were looking out of place. The other two, Myrtle and Martha, are looking fluffy and lovely, so I'm guessing that perhaps Minnie & Moose are starting to moult. I started them all on Flubenvet (they were last wormed in late Dec when the new ones arrived) the day Minnie looked ill, just in case worms are a problem - since they are both avid worm and slug hunters. I've been wondering whether I should supplement their calcium intake - I'll see what the next couple of days bring and then decide.

 

Hope Sparrow makes a very speedy recovery. I'd be interested to know whether she also has lost some of her feathers. Let me know how she does.

 

Kate

 

ps Minnie didn't lay again today - but seemed fine at bedtime (though very soggy from the rain

[Plum]

Hi,

I don't think Sparrow laid today but I gave them crushed shell this morning and I've bought some limestone flour and codliver oil to add to evening porridge. I added a bit of fluvanet as well to keep the continuity of that going. She seems bright and well today but I didn't check her feathers but will do it tomorrow. I wonder why yours have lost some on their tummy. Perhaps its a moult? If no lice I wouldn't worry too much about a bit of matting because you are worming them and it may be they sat in their poo.

 

See what the next few days bring. Hopefully mine will settle now for a bit.

[mostin]

Hi Plum,

 

sorry, I've only just read this post. My Lillian layed some eggs like this last autumn. I got some Zolcal D to put in the water and that seemed to help. It has calcium in and vit D to make sure the hens body can utilise the calcium.

 

I hope Sparrow is starting to feel better

[Plum]

Now you tell me. I've enough limestone flour for a herd of horses.

[mostin]

Now you tell me. I've enough limestone flour for a herd of horses.

 

Sorry

[Plum]

3 lovely normal eggs today and they all seem perky and bright. So I'm happy.

 

How is Minnie? been thinking about her bald tummy and think it could be either moult, plucking herself if going broody or someone reported their chicken being sensitive to the bedding in the nestbox but then I guess the skin would be inflamed.

[Minnie&Moose]

Hi Plum,

 

great to hear Sparrow's back to normal. We've had no egg again from Minnie, so that's 3 days in a row (she's never missed more than a day since she started laying last May). Both she and Moose are behaving as normal but looking more and more scruffy - bald patches on their throats and the patches on their bellies are getting bigger. Moose's tail looks a bit tatty as well Meanwhile the 2 new girls are still fully feathered and seem to be settling down into laying most days. So, I'm going with the moult theory for now.

[Plum]

They are sensible waiting for Spring not like all the daft birds who moulted in that really cold spell. Think how good they'll look in a few weeks.

 

Normal eggs again today. Phew, will stop worrying now.

[Minnie&Moose]

Still no eggs from Minnie. Moose is still laying but not every day. They were sun bathing today together - what a sight when they rolled over on their backs - looked like they'd been plucked

 

Can't wait to see what they'll look like when the new feathers come in

[Plum]

Bless them. Post a photo then I'll know how mine will look when moulting Not that I'll miss it!

[toastedblue]

My Sparrow had trouble laying today. She was stood in the garden looking sad for some time then strained for a bit and laid an egg which was normal size and shape but was for the most part very rough and paler. It wasn't soft but looks as though she's low on lubricant.

 

 

our Bluebelle only ever lays rough eggs yet the others, on the same diet, all lay smooth eggs

no idea why

[Plum]

How odd. Does she have difficulty laying them? If I find any clues I'll let you know.

[Minnie&Moose]

Well, we've had another strange egg from Minnie. This one is her normal colour (on one size), size and shape, but the surface has deep wrinkles on it, just like a walnut in its shell! I think she also laid a softee as well. Both eggs had been laid in the run and the soft one was being wolfed down by all 4 hens when I went to let them out on Sunday morning. Minnie still looks fine (apart from the feather loss) - lively, eating well, bright red comb. It looks like after a week's break from laying she's produced 2 at the same time Most strange.

[Plum]

Why not try her on some supplements as she's coping with moult as well. Ive been giving them some codliver oil and limestone flour and eggs are back to normal and Sparrows which have always been a bit dry and rough are smooth and almost shiny.

 

On reflection I have changed food when my omlet supply ran out and I wonder if it wasn't as good quality.

[Minnie&Moose]

I think you're right Plum - looks like she may need a bit of extra help right now.

[sandyhas3chucks]

some cod liver oil might help.

I kinda think I read that excess calcium is depositted on the shells. but abit vague on that. they need D3 to utilise the calcium in th L flour & the cod liver oil should do that. hope this helps with the egg laying herd of horses situation

[Minnie&Moose]

Today Minnie laid a beautiful, normal egg! Perhaps it was the threat of me tampering with her food that did it

[Plum]

Good old Minnie