Single hen

[ted]

One of ours was acting wierd so had a look. She has not started laying but has had some wierd discharge stuck to her feathers around vent. I assumed this was a wierd poo but it looks like she has the same but it is stuck in the vent. It looks like it may be an egg with no shell. There is a bitt of blood as well. I have kept her warm and dosed with cod liver oil.

I was going to see how she got on today (she is eating and drinking ok) and then try and remove tonight???

Any ideas?

[Egluntyne]

She may well pass it during the course of the day ted.

 

The others might show an interest and start pecking at anything that is poking out of her vent, so I'd look out for that.

[The Dogmother]

One of mine did that recently Ted; she passed the contents of the membrane first into the nest box. Then the membrane later; it was hanging out of her vent, so I gently pulled it out and she seemed much happier.

[ted]

thanks you two... to the rescue once again! They are a handful this lot!! She seems happier today but i will have a close look again tonight...

 

Cheers

 

Neil

[The Dogmother]

Are you supplementing their calcium at all Neil?

 

They might benefit form a blast of Limestone Flour - I buy the one from NAF (horse feed outlets) and it really does the job. Just sprinkle a dessertspoonful in a litre of feed.

[ted]

Yes but may need to up the dose. prob putting teaspoon rather than tablespoon...

 

thanks

[The Dogmother]

It usually works, but sometimes a hen just gets a knackered shell gland and is prone to laying softies; this usually only applies to older chooks though or ones that have had bad infections.

 

Egluntine recommends adding a drop of cod liver oil too as the vits in that aid calcium absorption.

[ted]

Thanks Claret. did that last night. She seems better but will inspect nightly...

 

Cheers