I have had my small flock of 5 chickens for a year-got them from a hatchery as day-old chicks May 2, 2018. They have a well-made, roomy coop, an attached covered run area, and a new open-aired run that is covered by wire to keep out hawks, which are plentiful here. My flock consists of 2 BA, 2 EE, and 1 SFH. One of my BA had health issues as a 2-week old chick (seemed to be respiratory), so she was isolated and nursed back to health. They all started laying around 4-6 months old, except the SFH, who started laying around 10 1/2 months old. I have several issues going on, and am beside myself-what used to be a pleasure, has turned into constant worry! All seemed pretty good until about 6 weeks ago.
#1 Dixie, one of my BA, started laying weird eggs. They got lighter and lighter in color, until they are the color of my SFH (light beige). Also, the large end of her egg is mottled darker colored and rough. There is like a slight ridge around the egg. It must have a crack of some kind, because when I hard boil them, they explode. I also noticed her crop was not emptying about 3 weeks ago, treated her for sour crop, but she still had a pendulous crop, so I got a "crop bra" for her that she wears 2 days, then I give her a break for 1 day-seems to help the crop empty, but it still hangs down without the bra. Are the 2 issues related? Can she be helped in any way? (She is my very sweetest chicken).
#2 Winn, the other BA who was sick as a chick, barely ever lays an egg. She laid at first normally, but lately lays maybe 1 normal egg a week, and in between lays eggs with no shell. Her eggs, too, got lighter in color-first speckled, now light or no shell at all.
#3 And this is not serious, but wondering if there is any relation to anything else going on, one of my EE has always laid eggs with a slightly rough feel to them-like sandpaper. Otherwise everything is fine with her.
Eggs are not a priority with me, I just want to have healthy birds as pets. Can I do anything to help them? This has really discouraged me as a "chicken mom!"
#1 Dixie, one of my BA, started laying weird eggs. They got lighter and lighter in color, until they are the color of my SFH (light beige). Also, the large end of her egg is mottled darker colored and rough. There is like a slight ridge around the egg. It must have a crack of some kind, because when I hard boil them, they explode. I also noticed her crop was not emptying about 3 weeks ago, treated her for sour crop, but she still had a pendulous crop, so I got a "crop bra" for her that she wears 2 days, then I give her a break for 1 day-seems to help the crop empty, but it still hangs down without the bra. Are the 2 issues related? Can she be helped in any way? (She is my very sweetest chicken).
#2 Winn, the other BA who was sick as a chick, barely ever lays an egg. She laid at first normally, but lately lays maybe 1 normal egg a week, and in between lays eggs with no shell. Her eggs, too, got lighter in color-first speckled, now light or no shell at all.
#3 And this is not serious, but wondering if there is any relation to anything else going on, one of my EE has always laid eggs with a slightly rough feel to them-like sandpaper. Otherwise everything is fine with her.
Eggs are not a priority with me, I just want to have healthy birds as pets. Can I do anything to help them? This has really discouraged me as a "chicken mom!"