ADVICE PLEASE - soft, broken shell, lethargic hen!

[Equiem]

I've been keeping hens since March of this year. They're rescue ex-batts and I have already lost 2 of the 5 I started with, been to the vets with another and now one of the others is unwell. I've dealt with a lot since keeping them - the first prolapsed after one week so I had to learn things FAST.

Anyway, this morning I went to let the chickens out and one didn't emerge. I opened the door to their coop to find Gertrude eating a yolk!! Initially I thought it was hers but after cleaning the poop out of their coop and garden area, I noticed Hetty (smallest chicken but the boss lady and usually very loud) hunched in the corner. On inspection I noticed she had egg whites around her vent and when inspecting a little closer I could see shell in her vent. So I bought her in and plopped her in a warm bath. With the help of my mum, I inspected further. I got some blunt headed tweezers and gently pulled at the shell. Originally thought it was a small piece of hard shell but I pulled out a large piece of soft shell and hoped it was all of it. She lays small eggs as she is a petite hen. I gloved up and lubed up and gently felt in her vent and felt nothing else.

Anyway, I dried her off and gave her some asprin then found another problem - her crop. It's not hard so isn't impacted (dealt with this before) but it also doesn't feel like sour crop (dealt with this before too) - it isn't bubbly, there's no smell. Her crop is plum sized but feels spongy with very few pieces of food in there. She is lethargic, not drinking and not really eating although she perked up at the offering of cheese. I've plonked her in the house with some recovery formula. If she pulls through the night and is still unwell, I will take her to the vets but currently wanting some advice on what I can do for now!

Any advice is appreciated
- What could be wrong with the crop?
- What steps should I take overnight?

 

[Eggcessive]

Since your hen is experiencing some egg problems, I would give her a human calcium tablet with vitamin D3 once daily for several days, to see if she lays a harder shell egg. Do you feed them layer feed with some crushed oyster shell available as well? Feeding back crushed egg shells is also good. Reproductive disorders are common in layers, and a virus such as infectious bronchitis can affect shells as well. Hens who lay soft or shell-less eggs may later experience internal laying, salpingitis, or egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

On inspection I noticed she had egg whites around her vent and when inspecting a little closer I could see shell in her vent. So I bought her in and plopped her in a warm bath. With the help of my mum, I inspected further. I got some blunt headed tweezers and gently pulled at the shell. Originally thought it was a small piece of hard shell but I pulled out a large piece of soft shell

Anyway, I dried her off and gave her some asprin then found another problem - her crop. It's not hard so isn't impacted (dealt with this before) but it also doesn't feel like sour crop (dealt with this before too) - it isn't bubbly, there's no smell. Her crop is plum sized but feels spongy with very few pieces of food in there. She is lethargic, not drinking and not really eating although she perked up at the offering of cheese.

Sorry to hear that Hetty is not feeling well.
Look at "doughy" or "slow" crop in the following article - a very good read packed with information that will help you
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

Sometimes a collapsed soft shelled egg can make them feel terrible. Hopefully this is just a one time glitch, but with her being an Ex-Bat, she may be have some reproductive issues. I would get extra calcium into - 1/2tablet caltrate for a few days along with poultry vitamins. See that she stays hydrated and offer her wet feed.
https://hencam.com/henblog/2015/08/a-laying-glitch/

 

[Saaniya]

Since your hen is experiencing some egg problems, I would give her a human calcium tablet with vitamin D3 once daily for several days, to see if she lays a harder shell egg. Do you feed them layer feed with some crushed oyster shell available as well? Feeding back crushed egg shells is also good. Reproductive disorders are common in layers, and a virus such as infectious bronchitis can affect shells as well. Hens who lay soft or shell-less eggs may later experience internal laying, salpingitis, or egg yolk peritonitis.

Is that human tablet work on chickens wow

 

[Equiem]

Sorry to hear that Hetty is not feeling well.
Look at "doughy" or "slow" crop in the following article - a very good read packed with information that will help you
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

Sometimes a collapsed soft shelled egg can make them feel terrible. Hopefully this is just a one time glitch, but with her being an Ex-Bat, she may be have some reproductive issues. I would get extra calcium into - 1/2tablet caltrate for a few days along with poultry vitamins. See that she stays hydrated and offer her wet feed.
https://hencam.com/henblog/2015/08/a-laying-glitch/

I lost two of my rescued hens to egg peritonitis. The vet put them to sleep because of it. They both had laying issues too, I just hope she isn't going the same way! She came out briefly and started squawking at the top of her lungs but she has since retreated into the coop and is looking pretty miserable again.

Thank you for your help! Typical this happened on a Sunday!

 

[Equiem]

Since your hen is experiencing some egg problems, I would give her a human calcium tablet with vitamin D3 once daily for several days, to see if she lays a harder shell egg. Do you feed them layer feed with some crushed oyster shell available as well? Feeding back crushed egg shells is also good. Reproductive disorders are common in layers, and a virus such as infectious bronchitis can affect shells as well. Hens who lay soft or shell-less eggs may later experience internal laying, salpingitis, or egg yolk peritonitis.

I have some calcium tablets made for dogs (the vet suggested them previously as there is an international shortage of the avian ones) I feed them layers pellets with mixed grit and oyster shells available! I also occasionally give them a "calcium concoction" aka natural live yogurt, their crushed egg shells and crushed calcium tablets too. They also get plenty of fresh green veggies.

As I said in my reply to Wyorp Rock, I have lost two of my ex-batts to egg peritonitis already. She laid an perfect egg yesterday and was absolutely fine. Today is the complete opposite!

 

[Eggcessive]

Any calcium is fine, but giving some vitamin D3 with the calcium can help it to be better utilized. Many of the human ones have vitamin D, or you could just give a little poultry vitamin or some egg yolk.

 

[Equiem]

Any calcium is fine, but giving some vitamin D3 with the calcium can help it to be better utilized. Many of the human ones have vitamin D, or you could just give a little poultry vitamin or some egg yolk.

Is the Vitamin D3 in tablet form too? I'm in the UK so I'm not sure if that's a branded item across the pond! I do have some poultry vitamins that I could mix with an egg yolk and the calcium tablets. Would the egg yolk need to be cooked or given raw?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I lost two of my rescued hens to egg peritonitis. The vet put them to sleep because of it. They both had laying issues too, I just hope she isn't going the same way! She came out briefly and started squawking at the top of her lungs but she has since retreated into the coop and is looking pretty miserable again.

Thank you for your help! Typical this happened on a Sunday!

Is the Vitamin D3 in tablet form too? I'm in the UK so I'm not sure if that's a branded item across the pond! I do have some poultry vitamins that I could mix with an egg yolk and the calcium tablets. Would the egg yolk need to be cooked or given raw?

Look for Caltrate with Vitamin D3 that should be fine - you probably have that or something very similar in the UK.

My girls prefer their eggs cooked

I hope that she is just having a glitch since she laid a perfectly normal egg yesterday.

 

[Equiem]

Look for Caltrate with Vitamin D3 that should be fine - you probably have that or something very similar in the UK.

My girls prefer their eggs cooked

I hope that she is just having a glitch since she laid a perfectly normal egg yesterday.

I hope so too! If she is still unwell tomorrow, I will take her to the chicken vet who has appointments in the afternoon!

I found these online that I can get from a health store, are these the sort of thing? (sorry for the large image!)