Good morning! I have a 1.5 yr old Golden Laced Wyandotte exhibiting some symptoms that I can’t diagnose.
Problem: it seems on the day she lays an egg (and usually the day after), she lays around the run more than usual and doesn’t eat. Then she’ll pop out her egg in the run without going in the nesting box. After she lays the egg she has runny poops that look like they have egg white in them. Definitely not just runny poops, though she has a little bit of that, too. I haven’t gotten a good picture yet but will keep trying. She obviously doesn’t feel well, but still moves around and is alert. Yesterday morning I noticed a the tiniest bit of clear, dried discharge in the corner of her eyes, but it was gone by end of day and hasn’t reoccurred (maybe normal if she got dust in her eyes?). When she lays eggs, they seem normal. She did have a couple soft shelled eggs/shell-less eggs when she was a new layer but that hasn’t happened again afaik. No visible wounds or other symptoms. Her last egg was 6/1, previous egg was a couple days before that.
What her life is like/possible causes: I have a 13’x6’ run that the hens (I have 6 total) stay in most days. We have a neighbor whose dog is untrained and likes chicken so they don’t free range anymore. I do let them out every other day or so for an hour or two when I can be with them. I recently introduced two chicks, so everyone was eating chick feed with eggshells offered for the hens. As the chicks just hit 18 weeks, I’ve been mixing their usual layer feed with the chick feed to ease them all onto it. My fail was using the leftover layer feed from before the chicks. I keep my feed indoors, but I think it may have been a little off. I bought a new bag within a couple days (about a week ago) and tossed the old one. The other hens are eating the feed mix and do not have any symptoms. She is a mild-tempered hen and probably somewhere in the middle of the pecking order. She doesn’t get bullied or picked on, and I can’t think of any other stressors or changes. The chicks are still at the bottom of the pecking order and everyone seems to be getting along okay, this hen in particular is very chill with them. It’s not even hot yet (FL), but she does get hotter than the other hens because of her little comb. I give them plenty of fresh water, their run is covered and fully shaded, and they get frozen veggies/fruits. I never give them bread or other foods that are considered “unhealthy” treats (I stick to nuts, seeds, fruits, veggies, mealworms, etc.).
What I’ve tried: I put some probiotics in their water last week. I’m not sure if they drank any tbh because I offer plain water as well. She happily eats 1 entire scrambled egg and some peas (their favorite treat), which I’ve been giving her around dinner time when I know she hasn’t been eating. I plan on trying some yogurt today. Her crop is empty in the mornings.
It seems to me it’s either digestive or reproductive. I thought it was from the old feed at first, but none of the other hens have symptoms, and this is the second time it’s happened. Should I try probiotics again but *not* offer a plain water source so they have to drink the probiotic water? Anything else? I’m going to keep observing her and giving her egg (or anything else recommended) when she hasn’t eaten. I’d appreciate any advice! I’ll update with a poo pic if I can snag one this morning.
Problem: it seems on the day she lays an egg (and usually the day after), she lays around the run more than usual and doesn’t eat. Then she’ll pop out her egg in the run without going in the nesting box. After she lays the egg she has runny poops that look like they have egg white in them. Definitely not just runny poops, though she has a little bit of that, too. I haven’t gotten a good picture yet but will keep trying. She obviously doesn’t feel well, but still moves around and is alert. Yesterday morning I noticed a the tiniest bit of clear, dried discharge in the corner of her eyes, but it was gone by end of day and hasn’t reoccurred (maybe normal if she got dust in her eyes?). When she lays eggs, they seem normal. She did have a couple soft shelled eggs/shell-less eggs when she was a new layer but that hasn’t happened again afaik. No visible wounds or other symptoms. Her last egg was 6/1, previous egg was a couple days before that.
What her life is like/possible causes: I have a 13’x6’ run that the hens (I have 6 total) stay in most days. We have a neighbor whose dog is untrained and likes chicken so they don’t free range anymore. I do let them out every other day or so for an hour or two when I can be with them. I recently introduced two chicks, so everyone was eating chick feed with eggshells offered for the hens. As the chicks just hit 18 weeks, I’ve been mixing their usual layer feed with the chick feed to ease them all onto it. My fail was using the leftover layer feed from before the chicks. I keep my feed indoors, but I think it may have been a little off. I bought a new bag within a couple days (about a week ago) and tossed the old one. The other hens are eating the feed mix and do not have any symptoms. She is a mild-tempered hen and probably somewhere in the middle of the pecking order. She doesn’t get bullied or picked on, and I can’t think of any other stressors or changes. The chicks are still at the bottom of the pecking order and everyone seems to be getting along okay, this hen in particular is very chill with them. It’s not even hot yet (FL), but she does get hotter than the other hens because of her little comb. I give them plenty of fresh water, their run is covered and fully shaded, and they get frozen veggies/fruits. I never give them bread or other foods that are considered “unhealthy” treats (I stick to nuts, seeds, fruits, veggies, mealworms, etc.).
What I’ve tried: I put some probiotics in their water last week. I’m not sure if they drank any tbh because I offer plain water as well. She happily eats 1 entire scrambled egg and some peas (their favorite treat), which I’ve been giving her around dinner time when I know she hasn’t been eating. I plan on trying some yogurt today. Her crop is empty in the mornings.
It seems to me it’s either digestive or reproductive. I thought it was from the old feed at first, but none of the other hens have symptoms, and this is the second time it’s happened. Should I try probiotics again but *not* offer a plain water source so they have to drink the probiotic water? Anything else? I’m going to keep observing her and giving her egg (or anything else recommended) when she hasn’t eaten. I’d appreciate any advice! I’ll update with a poo pic if I can snag one this morning.
