- Jul 26, 2012
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Hi everyone!
I recently got 2 chickens for my birthday in june, so I've had them about a month. I've never had them before and I don't really know anyone whose had them, so I've no one to ask. I'm new to all of this, so please nobody mock my probable paranoia
I've got two chucks - an amber link called Babs and a Blacktail called Ginger (not very imaginative, I'll grant you). They started laying, a bit hit and miss, about a week since I bought them. Recently, their eggs have been nice and big with good hard shells. I don't actually like eggs myself, so please don't think I'm creating about the possible lack of egg production. But today, there were two perfect eggs this morning and they've been bowling round the garden as usual, thrilled to be chasing flies and such.
At about 5 o clock, I was working down by the coop, and i noticed Babs had gone super quiet (she's usually the on scaling the walls and climbing on my head for a good vantage point. Maybe my head resembles an egg, amd she's trying to hatch me? But I digress) While friendly, she's rarely clingy and she just huddled up to my feet and looking distressed. She would get up and crouch a bit, fluffing right out.
I'm going to pause here for a minute, and confess that the next bit might be more about chicken bottoms than you prefer. If I'm being hysterical, and I'm going to be told that my chick is normal (well) then this post is going to reek of newbie, and chicken's bottoms. I'm so sorry if that is the case.
Ginger became strangely attracted to Babs's BOTTOM (first bottom reference for you:/) and a bit of clear liquid was oozing out. She repeated her actions, with Ginger's beak periodically poking up her bum until I had to wrestle her away. Babs sat in front of me and a relatively small egg popped out of nowhere. While I know it's not unheard of to lay 2 eggs, mine so far have not been this way inclined. But before I could move, Ginger had ripped the flimsy, barely there shell, and they both started to peck and eat the yolk. I know egg eating can become a habit, so a furious battle to hide the egg slop from the birds occured. I managed to seize them and take them to their coop. Babs was weirdly easy to manoevre, and as soon as I put her in, she went bowling towards the oyster shells I bought for grit and positively hoovered them up. She still has gooey liquid near her vent, which I've wiped off. She's still not herself though, she's really subdued.
I did the worst thing anyone can do once I'd cleaned up the egg mess. I googled it. All sorts was coming up about some bunged-up chickens who get eggs stuck, blah blah blah. In the end, I thought I'd better ask chicken owners directly. Does this sound dire, or is it just a random act of egg laying with a petulant bird?
Any help appreciated,
Jean
I recently got 2 chickens for my birthday in june, so I've had them about a month. I've never had them before and I don't really know anyone whose had them, so I've no one to ask. I'm new to all of this, so please nobody mock my probable paranoia
I've got two chucks - an amber link called Babs and a Blacktail called Ginger (not very imaginative, I'll grant you). They started laying, a bit hit and miss, about a week since I bought them. Recently, their eggs have been nice and big with good hard shells. I don't actually like eggs myself, so please don't think I'm creating about the possible lack of egg production. But today, there were two perfect eggs this morning and they've been bowling round the garden as usual, thrilled to be chasing flies and such.
At about 5 o clock, I was working down by the coop, and i noticed Babs had gone super quiet (she's usually the on scaling the walls and climbing on my head for a good vantage point. Maybe my head resembles an egg, amd she's trying to hatch me? But I digress) While friendly, she's rarely clingy and she just huddled up to my feet and looking distressed. She would get up and crouch a bit, fluffing right out.
I'm going to pause here for a minute, and confess that the next bit might be more about chicken bottoms than you prefer. If I'm being hysterical, and I'm going to be told that my chick is normal (well) then this post is going to reek of newbie, and chicken's bottoms. I'm so sorry if that is the case.
Ginger became strangely attracted to Babs's BOTTOM (first bottom reference for you:/) and a bit of clear liquid was oozing out. She repeated her actions, with Ginger's beak periodically poking up her bum until I had to wrestle her away. Babs sat in front of me and a relatively small egg popped out of nowhere. While I know it's not unheard of to lay 2 eggs, mine so far have not been this way inclined. But before I could move, Ginger had ripped the flimsy, barely there shell, and they both started to peck and eat the yolk. I know egg eating can become a habit, so a furious battle to hide the egg slop from the birds occured. I managed to seize them and take them to their coop. Babs was weirdly easy to manoevre, and as soon as I put her in, she went bowling towards the oyster shells I bought for grit and positively hoovered them up. She still has gooey liquid near her vent, which I've wiped off. She's still not herself though, she's really subdued.
I did the worst thing anyone can do once I'd cleaned up the egg mess. I googled it. All sorts was coming up about some bunged-up chickens who get eggs stuck, blah blah blah. In the end, I thought I'd better ask chicken owners directly. Does this sound dire, or is it just a random act of egg laying with a petulant bird?
Any help appreciated,
Jean
