Ameraucana Hen Acting Weird - HELP

[jenjenjrb]

Okay our hen just laid her very first egg last week, beautiful blue egg. She hasn't laid another one since. She is very calm when my kids hold her but this morning she seemed more calm then usual. She has been sitting in her coop since last night and this morning she left the coop but when to a corner and sat down by herself. I checked her and there is nothing blocked up - no dried poop that would make laying an egg difficult for her. My son is worried sick about his baby. I was just wondering if anyone knows if this is normal for an Ameraucana.

 

[Lacrystol]

I would watch her closely, she may be getting ready to lay another egg. They do seem to calm down once they start laying, but once they become mommies, there attitudes change. Does she have calcium? Some oyster shells, she will need this for egg laying time. Doesn't sound sick just yet. They don't lay every day, sometimes the eggs can get stuck up in there vents. Might want to just feel around see if you feel any lumps if not don't worry about her right now until her system gets into the flow of laying on a regular bases. The first egg is always hard and stressful on a hen..

 

[jenjenjrb]

Thank you so much for the info. We got home and she did lay another egg and is back to normal now. I think she is just finds this whole process weird. She keeps sitting in the nesting box but no additional eggs. I think her body is just a little slow. I will keep watching her. Thanks again for the info

 

[bird-brain]

Glad she seems better. Now is probably a good time to read up on egg binding if you haven't already. Doesn't sound like this is your hen's problem but because you mentioned nothing was blocking her vent and some one mentioned feeling around, I thought I'd bring it up. If you suspect egg binding checking has to be done soooo carefully. It is quite possible to break an egg inside her if she is bound and that isn't what you want. There is really good info on this sight and other areas on the internet.

I'm sure is just young hen hormones but doesn't hurt to familiarize yourself or brush up on it if you have prior knowledge..

 

[jenjenjrb]

Thanks. I will read up on this. This I quite the learning process. I just want our chickens taken care like family

 

[Lacrystol]

When they lay that first egg, everything goes out of WHACK, everything swells up etc.. So the next one makes it difficult for them to get out, but after a day or things start to go back to normal, there little body changes to make it easier for the future laying.

It's kind of like dilating in order to give birth. LOL, I guess that's one way of looking at it..

She'll be OK, just got to let nature take over..

I recently had one where the egg broke inside, OMG, what a mess, she was able to get the yolk out of her system, so no harm done. I had to pull the shell out of her and off to bathing.. but then she got spoiled because she had the joys of sleeping in my room with me. LOL. SHE REALLY LIKED THAT, no BOYS OH BOY what a special treat that was for her... LOL

They can die if the egg bursts inside..

 

[jenjenjrb]

Thanks for all the information. I read a lot this weekend about egg binding. I feel like I am prepared now. We just acquired a family of 12 chickens this weekend from a friend so now I have more reading to do. Just read about Food Grade DE. Who would have thought I bought some chicks for my kids and now this is a full on project/hobby - LOL. Lots of fun though!