Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Dolly]

My dear Roxy has laid 3 soft shelled eggs this week and today I woke up to find she's laid the inside of the egg but the shell is stuck inside her. I'm sitting here in tears, desperate for our vets to open at 10 as she's so poorly. It's happened before and I think at 2.5 years old it's not going to stop but I don't want to lose her, she's my baby.

I've heard about hormone implants on here which I want to ask the vet to do for her - do they work and will they help her do you think?

Sorry for the early morning tears, but I'm at my wits end and there's no-one here I can talk to at the moment.

Edited April 3, 2011 by Guest

[Plum]

Don't be too upset, my Pigeon often lays soft eggs and has been doing this for over a year and she just carries on. The vet will get the shell out. It's a problem if the egg is laid into the abdomen but she sounds as though she is getting them out the right end.

 

If you have to do it yourself some time put on a glove and use some lubricant or water and put a finger in to remove the shell or membrane. Just sweep your finger round and recheck to make sure all the bits are out. I find Pigeon recovers really quickly afterwards.

 

Pigeon is my favourite as well.

 

Good luck at vet

[Henslaved]

Softies do make them feel pretty miserable, but they usually perk up once they have passed them. Are you sure she has the shell still in there, she could have just passed a shell less egg.

 

I read somewhere on here that a little cod liver oil can help them absorb the calcium they need to produce the shell.

 

Easier said than done I know, but try not to upset yourself too much, you're doing the best you can.

 

Good luck at the vets.

 

Sending hugs xx

[Space Chick]

Cod liver oil and some limestone flour added to their pellets can help no end with softies.

 

I hope all goes well at the vets x

[Olly]

Can't add anything to the advice, I just wanted to sympathise - that wait for the vets to open is interminable, I know. Hope they can help.

[Dolly]

Thanks so much for your kind words everyone, it really helps.

 

She had limestone flour and CLO in pellet mash when the first softy arrived on Friday and Zolcal D in the water but it's obviously not working this time, which is why I'm so worried for her.

 

I'll let you know how we get on at the vets - just wish I could speed up time and get to 10 o'clock now!

[sandyhas3chucks]

I have had best results from calcivet from the bird care co. there is a help line too, and Malcolm is the man to ask for, esp re dosage for your particular hen. I echo the others...,

I only take to the vet if hen is obviously unwell 24 hours after laying the ofte, as at this point mine usually are stuck and need removing before they start festering inside.

I have had 2 injected with Delvosterone, an alternative to the implants. these last 6-9 weeks which in both cases gave the girls a chance for a rest. one was a young ex bat the other is coming up for 2 years release and eggs now are good shelled. one went through TOTAL TOTAL molt the other didn't, the one that did was youngest and needed too.

good luck

oh there is a long detailed thread on another forum on the implants, they are very successful in lots of cases.

[Chicken Shirl]

Poor little girl. I hope she gets on alright at the vets and makes a full recovery.

[cathybc]

hope she is ok x

[WitchHazel]

Hope she is OK xx

[Dolly]

Well we're back from the vets and I happy to say Roxy had the stuck egg shell removed (for the second time in 5 weeks), and has had her Suprelorin implant . The vet said they didn't get much call for this for hens, although had given one to a hen in the last 3 months with the same problems - I've promised to give him a report on her progress for any future requests so it might help others.

He didn't give her any anaesthetic first as he said chickens' skin wasn't overly sensitive to pain (which I wasn't too sure about!) but she did squak when he put the huge needle in, my poor girl!

 

The implant cost £43 plus VAT plus the consultation fee of £26 which I thought was a bargain to stop her recurring soft egg laying and the subsquent pain and discomfort from the stuck egg shells (hopefully for about 6 months) - also it's peace of mind for me.

 

Despite the vet saying there shouldn't be any side effects, I'll be keeping a close eye on her over the coming days, particularly as she's still a bit subdued at the moment.

 

So now she's back in the garden with her friends, enjoying a big bowl of mealworms for being so brave

[Olly]

Glad to hear she's ok.

[Egluntyne]

Am locking this as the updated story continues here.