What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Kayehelen]

I have had three Chickens for about 2 months now. I got them from Omlet and had eggs from two of them straight away. To start there were a couple of shell less ones and then Scarlett and daisy settled into good production. Scarlet does tend to have a day with out an egg every 8days or so and then I know to expect a double yoker. She has laid about 5 of these. The chickens are on grass(i move them to a new area every week or so so they have lots of worms and bugs) with layers mash and then I give then left over rich, paster, corn, and veg. Last week i had two days of three eggs so I figured the third chicken, with a much smaller comb, was laying. 4 days ago I only had one and At the same time I noticed that Scarlett, who normally is first out of the eglu was last out, she was not eatting the snacks, even corn that I dropped and she was less active. I worried that she was egg bound and picked her up and felt her over. When I put her down she almost at once layed a shell less egg. I don't know if this is because she was scared or if my massaging helped. She then spent a lot of time going into the eglu but there was no other egg. Yesterday there was one egg in the morning and Scarlett spent alot of time sitting and closing her eyes, still not eatting much. I read up on how a warm bath can help and gave her one, holding her vent in the water a while. I massaged her vent a bit but could not feel much. I dried her and then put her in a closed eglu for a couple of hours. When I let her and the others out to free range she seemd better, pecking around on and off but still lying down as well. I also had another egg, but can not say it was hers.

Only one egg again today and she is the same, sitting and sleeping, scratching her self at times. I checked her crop but it does not seem full and she was much harder to catch today. Some foraging but not much eatting. Should I be just keeping an eye or do you think the vets? She seems no worse but no better. Help please she is such a lovely character and the children love her so.

[Egghead68]

Congratulations on your chickens.

 

It's common for them to have laying problems when they start and it's normal for them to feel really rough before they lay a softie. If they perk up quickly afterwards then there is nothing to worry about. if they don't they may need to see a vet.

 

If they were mine I would (a) give them a calcium supplement such as nutribal (?nutrobal) or other egg-shell improver plus a bit of cod liver oil for vitamin D and (b) drastically cut down on the treats. They do not need pasta, for example, and it will be filling them up so they don't eat nutritious food.

 

If you haven't already, it's a good idea to register with a chicken-friendly vet (addresses on the forum - most regular vets know next to nothing about chickens).

[Kayehelen]

Thanks for advice. I was thinking maybe I have overdone the treats. Non for a while now. She has been in the eglu for a while now so I am hoping for an egg. If not I might try a bath again. Will look for a vets, just in case.

[Egghead68]

Good luck.

 

Keep an eye on their abdomens. Laying softies will predispose them to peritonitis (when they lay internally and their abdomens become inflamed). If her abdomen feels squishy with liquid then she will definitely need to see a chicken-savvy vet for treatment.

[Kayehelen]

No egg yet, she is scratching around a bit though. I might leave her and see how she is tomorrow, give her a bath if she seems poorly tomorrow. What can I give to quickly help her egg laying?

[Egghead68]

Calcium, e.g. baked crushed eggshells

[Kayehelen]

Thanks for the help.no eggs from any of the three today but they have been scratching away and free ranging today. scarlett has not been sitting and her tail was up most of the day, she seems more lethargic this afternoon. I boiled up some eggs shells for them. I did not know about baking them. How long for. Someone said vinegar was good for them. Is that true? Would another bath help?

[Egghead68]

I expected boiled is fine. It's just to kill any bugs on them.