What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[cheekymonkey200]

Hello all, in need of a little advice, i'm a worried chook mama-

 

One of my girls, Maude, suddenly seems a little under the weather. We had a few softies which I now assume to be hers but both girls seemed fine. After a full day out playing and eating Maude was in the run with her tail down out of it- she isn't running up and down squawking at me to let her out or even coming over for snacks and she really bit me when I eventually picked her up, totally out of character. A softy has also just appeared which she was trying to eat. She seems to have perked up a bit now but is definitely not her normal self.

 

I make sure they have lots of grit, oyster shells and their own shells back- mildred's eggs are fine- laying everyday so I'm not sure it can be nutrient-y. We've just moved them from grass to a bark chipping bed and she's on her second day of organic worming pellets, vermx I think, other than that nothing has changed.

 

Any ideas really really welcome, I know you chaps are normally wonderfully helpful so I wait anxiously for your replies!

 

Thanks in advance

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Laying a softie does make them miserable but they usually perk up after laying it. If it's not that, have you checked her for lice/mites?

 

Opinion is divided on the best wormer. Flubenvet is often regarded as more effective than Vermex.

[cheekymonkey200]

Hi-

 

Thanks for your advice. She is still laying softies. We had a hard shelled egg in the evening yesterday but it wasn't smooth or normal shaped and the colour was really patchy- also she laid it out in the run, at about 7pm. very unusual. and then this morning we were back to softies. Mildred's eggs still seem to be fine.

 

I have read that it can be diseases that makes them lay funny so I'm really worried now. I have added apple cider vinegar and poultry spice and tonnes of egg shells and oyster shells. Her vent seems normal and she seems better in her self now.

 

Is there anything else it could be? What else can I do to help her?

 

thanks again in advance

 

H

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I wouldn't have thought it could be a disease or she'd have other symptoms too. (I'm by no means an expert though, so I may be wrong.)

 

Sometimes you just get hens that lay wonky or soft eggs or don't lay at all . I had one that laid wind eggs regularly (teeny tiny little eggs).

 

Someone else may have an idea but I suppose if she doesn't seem ill, you'll just have to sit it out and hope that her laying improves.

 

How old are they, by the way, and when did they start laying? Sometimes it can take a while for them to get properly into the swing of laying.

[cheekymonkey200]

Hi-

 

we've only had them for about 3 months and they've been laying for about 2. Until now she sometimes did double yokers so maybe she just needs to settle down a bit. Its just upsetting to see her when she's trying to lay a softie because she looks so miserable

 

Could it be her treats? My dad has been feeding them little bits of bread which I read somewhere wasn't great for them.

 

I think I will just keep up the apple cider vinegar and the tonic and make sure they have plenty of grit and shells around. Hopefully her eggs will improve, if not I don't mind having a useless hen as long as she's well- she gives lovely cuddles anyway

 

Thanks again

 

H

[Plum]

Could be the treats I'd try keeping to pellets and a dollop of cod liver oil mixed in with them occasionally helps use the calcium