cgfrost Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Hello, We got our first two chickens (both from Omlet) about 4 weeks ago, everything has been going fine and they have both been laying every morning without fail. Two days ago our head hen didn't lay but other wise seemed fine. Yesterday she laid an egg that was normal on one side but had a very ruff shell on the other. This morning, she didn't want to leave the nesting box and there was a lot of clear fluid around, looks like runny egg white but with white stringy bits in. I know it's from her as I could see it dribbling from her vent. I went to pick her up and she jumped out to the run, she really hates being picked up. She is walking around very slowly and just staring in to space and not doing anything apart from drinking a little. Normally they are both eating food like crazy. As she was up I decided to leave her till lunchtime, I'll go home and see how she is doing and try and give her an inspection. Doesn't like being picked up yet. I've read the books/internet and can't find anything conclusive, what should I be thinking about or looking for? Our other hen is fine, laid an egg as normal. We can tell which egg has come from which hen. Any advice really appreciated. Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgfrost Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 Still looking very sorry for herself this lunchtime. Have caught her and felt with a gloved and vaselined finger and think I can feel both an egg and parts of an egg (Not an expert so I'm only guessing). We're off to see the vet now. Is this what it's like having children, it's put me right off the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Sorry, I don't know what the matter is with your chicken other than when they start laying sometimes they get parts of their egg laying equipment muddled up, but I hope you get on ok at the vets. There are far more knowledgeable people on this forum than me! Chickens are far better than small children, they take up far less time and give you eggs! My kids are teenagers now, I'm loving having teenagers in the house, it's so much fun. Good luck with your chicken, I hope she gets better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgfrost Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 The vet told us it's a lack of Vit D causing malformed eggs. She laid a very odd shaped one while on the way to the vet. She seemed a little better once she was let out back home. Wait and see now, hopefully will make a full recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Hi cgfrost. I'm sorry to hear you're having problems so soon, but glad you got her to the vet quickly and hopefully she won't be like it for long. I have a Pekin who has all sorts of egg related problems. Mostly she lays little eggs that are very pointy at one end, but on occasions she'll have a run of soft or no shell eggs which always makes her look very down in the dumps. More worryingly though when she's in lay she'll often be very noticeably unhappy and uncomfortable for a day or two, usually on her non laying days. When this was particularly bad I took her to the vet who thinks she has pain in ovulation! Hopefully with yours it's just a one off. Oh - and I don't have children but I assume it's like thi but worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 You could give them some poultry tonic, I don't know for certain if it contains vitD but it could give them a nice boost over the Winter while they get the hang of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 How's your chicken doing? How did the vet say to get vitamin D into her, I'd be interested to know. I hope she's improving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgfrost Posted December 2, 2015 Author Share Posted December 2, 2015 Princes Layer is doing much better but still not back to her normal self. She has laid two more very small deformed eggs but she looks more comfortable and is scratching for worms again instead of staring in to space. The vet recommended something called Zolcal D for a supplement, it goes in the water and he says he uses it for his own chickens. I ordered some from Amazon, will see how it goes. It's specially made for birds so it's safe to keep eating the eggs. http://www.vetark.co.uk/Shop/Cage--Aviary-Birds/Supplements/Zolcal-D-for-birds.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
