The_eggwards_family Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Hello Omleteers! We have had our girls now for just over a week and Im totally smitted! They are POL hybrids - a ginger ranger, a copper black and an amber star. We were told they were aged around 15-17 weeks when we got them so I would put them around 17/18 weeks now. Their combs and wattles are getting bigger by the day it would seem but are still pink, the copper black one is the biggest and has the most developed tackle, as it were. The ginger one is the only one that will squat if you put your hand on her back though. They are in an eglu which is enclosed in a sectioned off part of the garden in which they can free range when Im home. Anyway, during our evening "sit and watch the chickens" whilst they free range (which I must confess has been a regular thing of an evening with a coffee and a few biccies after dinner!) Mabel (the ginger ranger) adopted a peculiar pose - she looked like she was going to lay an egg! So I walked around the back of her and I saw her straining and her vent opened about an inch and I could see a beige shiny thing! She then began to peck at her bottom and seemed to suck the the shiny thing back in and the vent closed! We picked her up to have a look and all looked normal, I couldnt feel anything (but I dont know what Im feeling for tbh!). I looked on youtube and what I saw looked exactly like a hen laying an egg clip I found. Except we have no egg. So my question is, is this normal as they are approaching lay? Or could she be "egg bound" as she is brand new to it all? (Im probably relating this to my own experience of childbirth for the first time - it gets easier the more you do it lol!) I have checked this morning and there's no egg, and her behaviour is totally normal - not like the description of an egg bound chook in my chicken book. She is still flying up onto the top of the eglu run to gaze over the neighbours fence lol! And is still active and eating. Any insight/answers gratefully received! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavysqueak Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I've found that my 'cure all' for any hens that look slightly off colour is to sit them on a hot water bottle. Of cause you have to catch the hen first. And a word of warning - I've had a softie laid on my lap after administering this cure! It was very messy as it broke as it landed. Good luck and I hope she manages to lay you some lovely eggs soon. XxX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Could be that she has a soft egg in the pipeline. Not uncommon at this stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Could be that she laid the softee and eaten it and you have to wait for the next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
