Blood on eggs, then stopped laying.

[mfr4550]

I have 9 hens, no roosters. They sleep in a coop but are free to range during the day. About a month ago one hen, I believe that she is a White Leghorn, had fresh blood on her feathers near her bottom. I wasn't able to catch her to check her vent. I found her egg in the nest covered in blood. She is about 1 year old and has consistently been laying one egg per day. I had to go away for the next week so I took a wait and see approach. When I returned she was still acting normal & had a good appetite. I thought things would get back to normal but she has not laid since. I have an Americauna of about the same age but has only recently started to lay. It seems that about every third egg from her has blood on it, even though she appears to be quite healthy as well. What is going on?

 

[Michael Apple]

The elasticity of the vent has to adjust on hens just beginning to lay. I don't know how old your hen is, but perhaps it became irritated and picked at her own vent? Look at the vent and see if it looks irritated. I'd try giving a Vitamin E cap morning and night. Also, use 1 teaspoon of Vitamins-Electrolytes Plus in the water 3 days a week and see if it improves in a few weeks.

 

[mfr4550]

Thanks, i'll try that. The white hen has been laying for sometime now. She does often produce some monster sized eggs. The Americauna is about a year old now. During the spring, summer and much of the autumn she did not go to the coop with the other's; she nested in the trees instead. I never found any eggs until recently so I don't know if she just hasn't produced until recently or what.

 

[mfr4550]

Update: Well, my dogs are becomig adept at herding the chickens now and I was able to catch my White Leghorn. There was some dried residual blood on the feathers in front (towards her head) of her vent. Her vent looked to be very healthy and I did not see any mites or scratches on her.

 

[Michael Apple]

Update: Well, my dogs are becomig adept at herding the chickens now and I was able to catch my White Leghorn. There was some dried residual blood on the feathers in front (towards her head) of her vent. Her vent looked to be very healthy and I did not see any mites or scratches on her.

The blood was where? Look the bird over her entire body and see if there's any possibility the blood could be coming from somewhere other than the vent.

 

[mfr4550]

The dried blood was about 2 inches above her vent. I didn't go underneath all of her feathers - just the belly area and I didn't see any indication that she had any injuries elsewhere. Having never looked at a vent before, it did look healthy to me. I looked up some descriptions of healthy vents. They said it should be moist - her's was. It was a very pale color and it was kind of pulsing but then I was blowing on the area so that I could find it...I think that is normal.

 

[Michael Apple]

Okay. Inspect the droppings when you get a chance. See if there's any bloody or runny droppings. I'll try to get back on later.

 

[mfr4550]

Thanks Michael. I'm not sure if I'll be able to inspect her droppings for awhile. I'll be out of town for 3 days but then may put her in a cage alone so I can check her droppings.

 

[Michael Apple]

You're welcome. Good luck.

 

[Hooligans7]

I have 9 hens, no roosters. They sleep in a coop but are free to range during the day. About a month ago one hen, I believe that she is a White Leghorn, had fresh blood on her feathers near her bottom. I wasn't able to catch her to check her vent. I found her egg in the nest covered in blood. She is about 1 year old and has consistently been laying one egg per day. I had to go away for the next week so I took a wait and see approach. When I returned she was still acting normal & had a good appetite. I thought things would get back to normal but she has not laid since. I have an Americauna of about the same age but has only recently started to lay. It seems that about every third egg from her has blood on it, even though she appears to be quite healthy as well. What is going on?

I have a similar problem with one of three BR pullets (10 months old), that stated laying last October and free range daily. The first pullet to start laying had blood smears on the shell. The shell wasn't wet or covered in blood, just some smears. She continued laying such eggs for a few weeks, then stopped altogether. She hasn't laid an egg since early December. The other two pullets consistently lay every day or close to it. I've maintained 16 hours of light daily, and all pullets get the same laying mash (and appropriate treats) and seem quite healthy.
Will the non-laying pullet ever lay again? Is that even possible? She's not even an official "hen" yet!
Any suggestions are appreciated.