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

[Henhathnofury]

I am still not over my poor little pepperpot dying of complications from her prolapse. Now it seems that our darling little swan - our Light Sussex Narcissa - seems to be succumbing to laying problems too. Today she seemed ill, as chickens are before they lay a soft-shelled egg. But I found blood in her poo so I separated her from the others and made an appointment with the vet. A few minutes later she laid a bloody soft-shelled egg - it was very flat. As I picked her up to examine her, terrified of a prolapse, a significant amount of mucousy blood and yolk fell out all over me.

 

She is due to the vet tomorrow. Afterwards she picked up enormously but began eating and drinking normally. I cannot help but think that this must be something I have done. She is nine months old. I am due to have hospital treatment in a few weeks....this sort of worry is a huge problem.

 

Sigh. Sorry - feeling sorry for myself and very worried that I might be do something badly. Poor Narcissa - that was a horror film moment. Will let you all know what the vet says tomorrow, as it might help other people who have problems with these soft-shelled eggs.................

[Chickvic]

I'm sorry to hear that, I hope she's ok

[Plum]

Heck, Best of luck, I really don't know anything about mucousy blood with eggs. Only time mine had it was after a minor op where the wound opened but I did read you could have blood on eggs after an infection so hope vet will know. I'll try and find where I read it.

[Egluntyne]

Best of luck with her.

[beach chick]

fingers crossed for her

[sparkysmum]

Hope she perks up & all is well. Thinking of you.xx

[teri]

sorry you're having such a bad time of it i hope everything goes well at the vets {{{hugs}}}

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Sending you both more {{{hugs}}} and good thoughts

 

Sha x

[Cinnamon]

Sorry to hear that

[Henhathnofury]

Narcissa has come back from our kind vets...singing at the top of her voice. She is in fine fettle now but has in all likelihood damaged her uterus when pushing out the soft-shelled egg. So antibiotics and anti-inflammatories for her...we have to watch for further softies. Calcium is the next thing to review but I am puzzled about this, as they all have a good quality layers mash, oyster shell and grit. So anyone who also has hens laying softies, maybe we can talk about some of the things tried? I am hoping that this is her first and last softy...because it was horrible. I have been recommended to get cuttlefish for them too....

 

Thank you for all your kind thoughts and sorry for being so needy. So soon after Pepperpot it felt like such a blow.......

[Janet]

Hi,

I have just joined the forum and have been very interested in the 'soft shell' problems that a lot of people have. I have some battery hens and one or the other has been laying soft shells for several weeks now. They tend to eat them and I just make sure I clean out the coop regularly. I am not too worried as the hens have free range over 1/2 acre, going in to their coop at night only.

I am also interested in the 'eglu'?? that people are talking about. Most seem to have them. I think they must be plastic? with a run?

Mine have a wooden coop with nesting box that they can go into during the day if they want to, but always return to at night. When it is raining (when isn't it!) they stay under the trees and shrubs.

 

I hope your hen continues to recover well.

Janet

[Olly]

Well Janet, welcome to the 'Omlet' forum ... Omlet produce and sell Eglus!

 

Take a look here to find out about Eglus, you'll find the majority of people posting on here have an Eglu or Cube, or even more than one! However everyone is welcome on here, not just Eglu owners.

[Lydia]

Hello again and I'm so sorry to hear of your latest woes.

 

I have lots of softie experience but only with ex-batts. Hatpin regularlyl laid softies and has all the time she's been with us. She's only ever laid about 3 complete eggs. Bruce checked her over but could find nothing wrong so we both just put it down to being an ex-batt.

 

She was always a bit off colour for several hours beforehand but right as rain after. This happened every 2-3 days for nearly 2 years.

 

Thankfully she's stopped laying completely now - it's about time as she's about 3 and half. Still going strong in herself though.

 

As regards sources of calcium, the most effective pick-me-up we've tried is mixing calcium carbonate with water to make a paste and syringing that into their beaks. I get the powder direct from Bruce and use it as and when. I think I've got some in if you want to try a bit?

 

We've also tried grit. Initially we put a separate container of grit down but they all ignored it. So we tried mixing it into their food but didn't see any difference, so we stopped. Similarly we tried limestone flour which helped a bit but I am loathed to use that all the time because a lot of my hens are older and retired in the egg department and don't need to extra calcium; indeed it could do them damage I believe.

 

Cuttle fish I've never tried but I know others on here have. I'd be interested in the results.

 

Always around if you need a chat and a shoulder.

 

Take care

[KarenW]

Narcissa has come back from our kind vets...singing at the top of her voice.

 

Reminds me of taking the kids to the doctor...having begged the receptionists for an emergency appointment because they are so ill you arrive and they run around the place screaming in delight, are all smiles and happiness for the doctor and I'm there explaining how ill and listless they are...honest

 

Seriously though, sounds horrible and worrying with Narcissa, bless her. Puts my garden problems into perspective. Hope she stays well now

 

Karen

[Henhathnofury]

Thanks Lydia...that's sincerely very kind. I am going to keep a very close eye on Narcissa and it will be back to Bruce on Wednesday if she lays any more softies..I will ask about the calcium carbonate. She is very bright and happy though at present..which makes me feel relieved. Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks too everyone else...it's great being able to vent (No chickeny pun intended)

[Ms Tilytinkle]

Dear Henhathnofury

 

So sorry to read about your recent worries, I was thinking about you . Glad Narcissa seems brighter. I bought some of the Calcium after Medusa was poorly. We had a spate of soft shell I wondered if it was the make up of the pellets was incorrect or something.

 

Ms Tillysendingmanywarminghugs,thoughts&prayers.

[Plum]

Glad she's picking up. You can give calcium to one chicken if you get zolcalD and give so much per kg of chicken. You can give it on food, for my girl it worked out as 1.5ml which I put on a small corner of bread. You use it for one week see how its going then you can repeat for further week if necessary.

[Henhathnofury]

You may be glad to know you lovely people that Narcissa laid a small but perfectly hard egg today...with a very tiny bloodstain on it, but nothing dramatic. I think she's astonishing, after what has happened to her. She is happy, mischievous and lying in the sun digging up dirt as if she is heading for Australia.

[Plum]

Clever girl

[Cinnamon]

[Egluntyne]

Good for her!

[Sara-W]

I'm so glad she's ok now

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I'm so happy for you both,

 

Sha x

[Ms Tilytinkle]

Bless her, she thinks thats shes returning the kindness - shes helping you do some gardening!!!!!

 

Ms Tilyschookaresunbathingrightnow-soooooofunny!!