4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[PeckyBeak]

Ginger has been laying normally since she started laying, but has been laying each day for five days at about 8 am, a larger than normal egg.

Today she laid two soft eggs after which she has blood stains around her vent.

 

 

She has been a bit under the weather which we put down to hot weather/large eggs/low in pecking order etc..

Although up to the last couple of days she's been eating and drinking normally.

And free-ranging with the others (she tends to range alone sometimes, possibly to avoid bullying).

Last night she was hunched up, refusing to eat or drink, even treats, and had to be placed in the cube.

 

As the pic shows, the others are laying normally, and all eat layers mash on demand. Grit is also always available. They get cabbage daily, too.

 

All were wormed a month ago.

 

We might be making more of this than might be considered neccesary, but are naturally concerned.

 

Could anyone please throw any light on our plight?

[Budgies]

It sounds like her egg laying gear is being overstimulated somehow, and I would be tempted to take her to the vet having seen the blood.

 

The soft shelled eggs when they come make the hens feel very unwell, so that will probably account for her being hunched etc yesterday (bearing in mind she's done two softies today, poor girl).

 

I would also increase her calcium - this not only helps the chooks to replace depleted calcium from their bones (which happens naturally when they are in lay), but also helps with egg shell forming and strengthens the contractions that expel the egg. You can give her limestone flour or ground up cuttle fish bone for this, or a product called Zolcal-d which you can get from online suppliers or pet shops that cater for reptiles.

[moochoo]

The fact she was hunched up and not herself indicated there were some softies on the way. It's not unusual to get some blood too as the capillaries around the vent can burst due to all the pushing. Soft shelled eggs are much harder to lay than hard ones.

She should be feeling much better tomorrow. Keep an eye on her. Chances are this is just a blip but if she continues to lay soft eggs or there is regularly blood on her eggs then it may be worth getting it investigated.

Just make sure she's getting plenty of pellets and grit. If necessary cut out treats for a while to ensure she's getting all the nutrition from her pellets.

Hope she perks up.

[PeckyBeak]

Thanks Budgies & Moochoo. She was much better the next day, no egg then but normal the day after and since. As you suggested, might have been a blip. couldn't get over how quickly she picked up after laying the two softies. What would we all do without the Omlet forum. Looked this up in three chicken books - nothing Looked on Omlet - info on sticky which was very reassuring and pretty instant replies from others who have had the same the problem. Absolutely brilliant , thankyou.

[moochoo]

Glad she's ok.

[Budgies]

Great news that she's ok PeckyBeak - you'll find you're an expert in no time with all this steep learning curve stuff!!