5 year old hen w/ blood on eggs - does she need help?

[Bakersplace]

My five year old hen lays every 1-3 days and recently noticed her eggs have a ring of dried blood around the middle of the egg as if she hurting when laying. She (and the other girls) like to cackle during their egg laying as a sign of support for each other and notice this hen is taking a little longer to lay hers. The cackling usually lasts only a minute or two and seems now its going on for nearly five minutes.

Is there something I should be doing to help her?

 

[casportpony]

Is a vet an option?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I occasionally get an egg like this (rarely), but have no way of knowing which hen lays it. Watching this thread to see if anyone knows what causes it or how seious it might be.

 

[Bakersplace]

Thank you both for your time on this. I was thinking it was due to age and I needed to give her some olive oil in or even apply something to the vent. I will keep an eye on her, and check back here for any updates. Thanks

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Since you say she is an older hen, I wonder if the vent just isn't as elastic as in her youth and maybe tore a little? Let's ask @Eggcessive and see if she knows.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would insert a clean or gloved finger inside her vent to feel for any obstruction inside. It is hard to know what the problem is, but a tumor or broken blood vessel could be possible. Is she laying as often as before?

 

[Bakersplace]

I would insert a clean or gloved finger inside her vent to feel for any obstruction inside. It is hard to know what the problem is, but a tumor or broken blood vessel could be possible. Is she laying as often as before?

I think she is laying about every other third day. I've never done anything invasive to my girls but am willing to do anything to help. Is Neosporin preferred over vaseline? Or don't use anything?

 

[Eggcessive]

There may be enough natural lubrication, but you may use vaseline or olive oil. Insert the finger 1-2 in hes, just in case you find obstruction or a blood clot.

 

[Lamontelle4]

My five year old hen lays every 1-3 days and recently noticed her eggs have a ring of dried blood around the middle of the egg as if she hurting when laying. She (and the other girls) like to cackle during their egg laying as a sign of support for each other and notice this hen is taking a little longer to lay hers. The cackling usually lasts only a minute or two and seems now its going on for nearly five minutes.

Is there something I should be doing to help her?

It could be a sign that her body is loosing strength to aid egg production. I have a rescue chicken that prolapses every once in a while if we don’t stop her from laying eggs. Her eggs used to also get blood on them right before she prolapses. Try keeping her inside in a dark area to prevent her from laying and only letting her outside for a couple of hours a day. I would also try to increase her protein and calcium intake. I could be wrong and that might not be the problem. In my experience this is always what I have done and my birds have all recovered and are fine. My vet told be that after a chicken prolapses you’re supposed to keep them from laying an egg for three weeks. So that’s always what I have done even before a chicken prolapses Just as an extra precaution.

 

[Bakersplace]

It could be a sign that her body is loosing strength to aid egg production. I have a rescue chicken that prolapses every once in a while if we don’t stop her from laying eggs. Her eggs used to also get blood on them right before she prolapses. Try keeping her inside in a dark area to prevent her from laying and only letting her outside for a couple of hours a day. I would also try to increase her protein and calcium intake. I could be wrong and that might not be the problem. In my experience this is always what I have done and my birds have all recovered and are fine. My vet told be that after a chicken prolapses you’re supposed to keep them from laying an egg for three weeks. So that’s always what I have done even before a chicken prolapses Just as an extra precaution.

Thank you for sharing your experience, that is very helpful and I can try to help her slow her egg laying.