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[Clucking_Mad]

Please could I have some advice, our hen Phyllis is a warren and is nearly a year old.

 

Phyllis always goes to bed first every night but tonight when I went to close the eglu door just after 9pm the other girls were in bed but she wasn’t and she was standing in a bit of a daze with a shell less egg on the floor.

 

I gently picked her up and brought her indoors so I could have a better look at her. There was a sort of semi soft shell hanging from her vent it wasn’t egg shape it had sort of curled up on its self.

I very gently pulled it out and some clear fluid came out with it. I then noticed more of this shell coming out and gently pulled this out as well and more clear fluid came as well as poo.

 

The shell was not completely soft as it still had some crispness to it but not as hard a fully formed egg.

 

I then gave Phyllis a warm bath and made sure she was completely dry before putting her back in the eglu with the other girls. She seemed ok in herself apart from being very tired and kept nodding off her comb was lovely and red as well.

 

I thought I could give her some castor oil in the morning to try and help with passing tomorrows egg.

 

Am I doing the right thing? Is there anything else I can do for her? And can anyone explain to me what has actually happened as I’m not sure what is actually going on? Is she or was she egg bound or am I just getting confused?

I would really appreciate some advice as I am very worried and concerned about my little girl.

[Egghead68]

Some hens do lay soft eggs from time to time. If it's only occasionally you don't need to worry. If it's happening regularly you might want to give her a calcium supplement like nutribal and also check she hasn't got an infection such as brachyspira.

 

They usually perk up quickly once the softie has passed unless there is another one backed up behind it.

 

I would wait and see how she is in the morning.

[Egluntyne]

Some information on soft shelled eggs here ... from the FAQ section.

[Plum]

You did the right thing.

 

One of mine often partially expels eggs so I do as you did and watch and wait. If she remains gloomy though it's a sign that there is still some bits left inside. So I wait and see if she expels it or rarely I have had to feel inside to remove bits. If you try that make sure you wash hands well or wear gloves. I wash vent and spray with purple spray and lubricate finger then sweep round inside to hook out any bits. The entrance is at bottom part of vent or you go in bowel which is dirty. I spray with purple spray on the vent afterwards as well. So far so good.

 

The other thing is that sometimes you get soft shells if they have an illness so she may be sleepy due to respiratory infection or similar so worth listening to breathing to exclude that. Mostly they just sometimes chuck out soft eggs and are ok.

[Clucking_Mad]

Thank you all for your advice it's really helped.

 

Yesterday morning she was first out the eglu as normal and was behaving like nothing had happened while I was stood there totally shattered from a sleepless night

 

The same thing happened last night but I was alot more relaxed as I understood more about what was happening. This morning the same thing back to normal and wanting her breakfast.

 

I have added some oyster shell to her feed to boost her calcium and have given her a good check over and she looks well and as she normally does. I will just keep a good eye on her over the next few days and make sure it is just a couple of soft eggs she is passing and nothing more than that.

 

Again a huge thank you for all your help

 

Laura x

[Egghead68]

Thank goodness. I do recommend Nutribal. This is what our very experienced chicken vet prescribed when we had a similar problem. It cured it. You do need to get on top of a frequent-softie problem as it puts them at increased risk of peritonitis.

 

Hope you can sleep better now. They like to worry us!

[Plum]

Whats Nutribal Egghead?

[Egghead68]

Oops typo - NutrObal. It's a calcium balancer. Fairly cheap (around £5.25) and widely available e.g.

 

http://www.vetark.co.uk/Shop/Cage--Aviary-Birds/Supplements/Nutrobal-calcium-and-vitamins-for-birds.aspx

 

The bird with a problem just needs a pinch a day.

[The Dogmother]

Funny you should mention it but I had to retrieve a soft shell from one of my girls yesterday, the odd thing was that she'd only just laid a proper egg while I was cleaning them out; I noticed that the eggs was wetter than normal so checked her vent - they make extra lubricant in these circumstances to help expel the blockage - she was looking much happier after i got it out for her.

[angeluk69]

I always have Nutrobal in the (human) house as it has to be sprinkled on my tortoise's food...someone also mentioned (not sure where) that having cuttlefish also helps chooks soft shells, but then someone else told me that brocolli is good for soft shells.

[Clucking_Mad]

Well Phyllis has laid yet another egg but with no shell this time, I am currently waiting for my order of nutrobal to arrive so I can start her on that. I have been adding oyster shell to the daily layers mash and have cut out evening treats so she will fill up on the layers mash so fingers crossed the nutrobal arrives soon. I have been checking her vent daily to make sure there is no shell left hanging.

 

These girlies like to keep us on our toes don't they. I'm sleeping a little better but still can't help but worry

[Egghead68]

Good luck. I hope it helps. It might be worth sending a sample of her droppings off to Retfords too to check for infections.

[The Dogmother]

Well Phyllis has laid yet another egg but with no shell this time, I am currently waiting for my order of nutrobal to arrive so I can start her on that. I have been adding oyster shell to the daily layers mash and have cut out evening treats so she will fill up on the layers mash so fingers crossed the nutrobal arrives soon. I have been checking her vent daily to make sure there is no shell left hanging.

 

These girlies like to keep us on our toes don't they. I'm sleeping a little better but still can't help but worry

 

Are you adding cod liver oil to the feed? That will help them to absorb the calcium. Were they wormed with Flubenvet recently?

[Clucking_Mad]

Good luck. I hope it helps. It might be worth sending a sample of her droppings off to Retfords too to check for infections.

Hi Egghead I have never heard of Retfords please could you give me some more details?

 

Are you adding cod liver oil to the feed? That will help them to absorb the calcium. Were they wormed with Flubenvet recently?

 

I wormed the girls with Flubenvet at the start of the year but I could do that again as it wouldn't hurt and I didn't know you could give chickens cod liver oil so I will pick some up and add that to the feed as well. Silly question but how much would you advise to mix in with the feed. I use a grub and garvo layers mash.

[The Dogmother]

I mix my feed up in a bucket, roughly 2 litres at a time, just a rough squirt of cod liver oil and then mix it in. I add some ground down, baked eggshells for calcium.

 

Best to worm them quarterly for best effect.

[Clucking_Mad]

A huge thank you from Phyllis and myself we have good news Phyllis has now stopped laying soft eggs

 

I have followed everyones advice and it has worked I must admit she hasn't laid an egg yet but i'm sure she will in the next day or so as she has always laid a few days in a row then usually has a few days off then lays again.

 

I really apprieciate all your help and advice it really is a lovely feeling to now that everyone is here to try and help in what ever way they can.

 

Many Thanks Laura and Phyllis xx

[The Dogmother]

Glad to hear it and well done to Phyllis. Finger crossed that her eggs stay hard!

[Egghead68]

Glad to hear she's doing well!

 

For future reference Retfords Poultry Partnership is a place that will analyse samples for parasites and infections for around £30. They are very helpful.