Storms and chickens

[Chickenlicken]

Hello All,

Thank you all for your help in the past when i was looking at becoming a hen owner. This has happened and everything had been going swimmingly until about 15 minutes ago when i went outside to check on the hens and noticed that 'green' hen looks enormous; she is not hunched in the 'i'm really ill' pose, but isn't that keen on moving about like she usually does. To check this I let the hens out as I take them 'down the garden' every day to dig in my flower borders. Green hen stayed back, where as yesterday she was digging for England.

 

I have put the hens back into the run as it is raining and I didn't want them to get soaked; I then noticed the other hens pulling what i thought was plastic, but it turned out to be a soft shelled egg (stretched, so not in an egg shape) and a pile of liquid on the ground which the other two scoffed immediately. 

 

The hens have all laid an egg today, so it is unusual to see another on the same day.  I felt green hen's crop and it felt quite large and heavy, but not dissimilar to the other two hen's crops. 

 

Any advice please?

 

(I intend to buy some Zolcal D as this is the third soft egg that has been laid in the past few weeks.)

[Cat tails]

Hens can feel really rotten over softies. If she’s past it, then she might just perk up again.

[Chickenlicken]

I hope so. Thanks. If she is looking rubbish tomorrow then i'll give her an Epsom salts bath. Not keen on doing that now as so close to bedtime. 

Update;

I have just popped out to check on her and she came bombing over looking a normal size again!!  How bizarre!  Well hopefully the egg was the problem, and all will be well in the morning. I have ordered some Zolcal D. They have lots of grit etc, and I dry all the eggshells in the oven and crush them up as well, but perhaps being older ladies means that they are more likely to do this.