Is something bad happening or is this just in my head?

[lex381]

I just got my first egg from Lucy on Febuary first. Then a couple days later we got the second but it was a weird egg. It didn't have a shell. Then we got the third egg a couple days after that. Now Lucy's rear end is sagging and she's moving super slow. She been doing this for a couple days, to. Is this just normal for the first days of their egg laying? Or is this a sort of blockage that could do some damage? Please post soon cause I really need to know anything is wrong. I don't wanna lose her

 

[aalbury]

I am not experienced, but have you checked to see if she was egg bound? I think I'd check that first, it sounds like it's been more than a few days since her last egg? That would be a really short egg cycle....

 

[lex381]

what do you mean by "egg bound"?

 

[lex381]

and how would you check?

 

[Soccer Mom]

It means an egg stuck in the oviduct. Here is a recent thread about checking the hen and treaments of the condition.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=325642

Good luck!

 

[Terri O]

Egg bound is when an egg is stuck and cant come out. There are lots of reasons that it happens. I am sure there is something in the learning center about it. To check you can gently feel on either side of the Cloaca. (where the egg comes out) If you can feel something there that is about egg sized you can be pretty sure she is bound up if she hasnt laid in 2 days or so. You can put some Vaseline in the vent to lube it up, put her in a heated place or in a bathroom with the hot shower running so it is steamy. All this might bring on the egg. I would read the tutorials...you sound like chickens are new to you? Lots of info there. Good luck! Terri O in WI

 

[teach1rusl]

When you say "her rear end is sagging," what exactly does this mean??? Do you actually see a protrusion of some kind??? My little EE started laying about two weeks ago. Her third egg was shelless, and one other one was soft shelled. When she was going through the shelless/soft shelled issues, her back was kind of hunched, and she was not herself. You could just tell she was NOT comfortable. Could this be the case with your new layer??? If you don't see a bulge or protrusion, I wouldn't assume egg bound.

 

[chookchick]

Make sure she is getting plenty of calcium. Even if she is on a layer diet, I like to have oyster shell out for them. You might want to give her a 1/4 of a tums crushed into a treat if you think she might be deficient.

 

[lex381]

thanks for the advice! I brought her in and i am gonna give her a nice warm bath. By sagging i mean what most people described what egg bound looked like. I just didn't really know how to put it. I will keep on updating on how she feels! Thanks a bunch for everything!

 

[lex381]

ok i just gave her some yogurt with crushed tums in it. i hope it helps!