Unsecure chicken perches

[katieh]

Hi

Last Thursday one of my chickens was laying when the dog went into the hen house to eat poos and startled her - she then became all hunched up and a bit miserable the next day - I came onto the forums and worked out that she may have broken an egg inside her in her rush to get away from the dog. There was also yolk in her poo.

 

I imediately set up a crate inside the house where she happily sits in a straw lined box only eating or drinking if hand fed.

 

On Saturday she laid an egg - so I thought great. Let her out on Sunday into the lovely sunshine and she just lay down with her wings outstreached - so I thought she is obviously enjoying the sun, but when the sun went in she didn't really want to move. Anyway went back to puffed up feathers and tail clamped down so I bought her back in again Sunday evening.

 

This morning (Mon) I have been in to her and in her bed was what looked like an old rib bone about 3 inches long. It was all rubbery but definately looked like a bone. I thought that is what the problem was but she doesn't seem very happy at all now and won't even eat.

 

Also her crop has been quite full in the mornings...

 

 

Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated

Edited October 30, 2010 by Guest

[Olly]

It sounds as if she's laid a lash - this is something that happens from time to time when their egg-production gets upset. That in itself is nothing to worry about, but from your description she doesn't sound quite right - if she is not eating or drinking, and is still looking puffed up, then a trip to the vet might be needed. Her crop should really be empty by morning, and I wonder if she has got a crop problem. Best to get some help, I think.

[Redwing]

It does sound like a lash, they are rubbery and can be all sorts of shapes, its a clear out of the system - not massively common but nothing to be worried about - she will feel better without it for sure!

[katieh]

That's very interesting - Thank you. I was busy having nasty thoughts about our house's previous owners and their BBQ habits (throwing bones around the garden!)

 

Anyway I have looked up Chicken laying lash's and one or two people seem to think that it was a bit like a chicken menopause and the end of their laying life but my chicken is less than a year old.

[Christian]

Laying a lash does not mean that your hen has stopped laying for good. It is just a blip if it is a one off.

 

 

She should start to lay again when her system settles down. If she continues to lay lashes, then I would take her to a vet for a course of antibiotics as she might have some underlying problem. Not wanting to eat and being fluffed up would indicate that she is unwell. I would take her to a vet now to see what they say.

 

Good luck

[sandyhas3chucks]

it "could" also be that she is in fact not quite well. A high temp can sort of cook a mis formed egg, and illness itself can cause them IME.

I have just had something similar and a sample to Retfords says she has Brachyaspira.

Just be aware eh?

[katieh]

Update!!!

 

She seems like a different chicken. Although I think she does have a crop problem of some sort as it is slightly squishy in the morning and not flat but i am also giving her pro biotic yoghurt.

 

She seems to totally have her appetite back and is very busy scratching about but she is very thin still and has not laid since the old bone/lash incident.

 

Thank you for all the advice. I think we will just see how she gets on over the next few days.