bound eggs?

[hennotrooster]

My 7 mo. old RIR/OP mix was acting very lethargic and did not want to eat at dinner time. She stayed close to me and upon checking her out, her bottom did not seem right so I gently massaged her belly... out towards her back side and after a couple minutes of doing this she wanted down, walked out of the yard dropped an egg minus the shell. She kept bearing down and I noticed something hanging out of her. after a few minutes I pulled it out and it was the shell. Is this normal, does it happen often and why what can I do to prevent this. I give them a cup of oyster shell once a month and once a week I give them about 2 cups of laying mash in their hanging feeder other wise they get scratch with salad greens spinach etc. Sorry if I am too wordy but I want to make sure I give all the info.

May make you all feel like this after reading my winded posts. I do thank you all, been at this chicken thing since March 2011 but I am still sooooo confused but the computer confusing me more.

 

[terryg]

If a soft-shelled egg happens once it's not a big deal, but it can cause big problems, like internal impactions and infections, and also cause egg eating to start. I have a feeling that your pullet needs a much better diet. Egg shells are almost all calcium, and eggs a mostly protein. She need to have a diet of 16 % protein. She should have laying pellets every day. Corn is mostly carbohydrate and will keep her fat but not much else. She also needs oyster shell free choice. If you put in on the ground it will go to waste. I put it in a rabbit hopper hung on the wall of the barn. It stays dry and they take what they need. I have photos of how I offer the oyster shell, and some sensible feeding guidelines here:http://hencam.com/faq/what-to-feed-your-chickens/

BTW, next time/if she walks like a penguin a warm soak in epsom salts will help move things along. I have more about that here:http://hencam.com/faq/the-spa-treatment/

 

[hennotrooster]

Terry thank you for the help. I read all the info that you sent and it was very educating. I would like to know what is vetch and if there is a difference between laying hen pellets and laying mash. I fed my first two hens chick starter and scratch along with a lot green veggies they laid straight through the winter. I was told that my hens were aggressive due to the high protein diet. I just in Jan. 2012 started to give them laying mash and I did have it in a hanging feeder so they could have it when they wanted it. Then I was told I should not allow them to eat freely my husband and I did not feel this was right but figured this person had been raising chickens all his life and knew better.

I am going to go and fill the feeder back up. We have 3 acres and let them out for about an hour 3-4 times a week one gets out on her own daily when she feels like it then returns when she is good and ready to. They do eat lizards and grubs. One of my girls will only eat baby grubs turns her beak up at the large fat ones.

I will be having a spa day for my troubled hen. She has seemed to be fine since but I have only gotten two eggs daily this week when I was getting 4-5 daily. So something must be amiss.

The hen cam will be viewed later thank you for sharing all this.

 

[terryg]

Vetch is a green vine type plant often found in pastures in New England. If consumed in large doses on an empty stomach, (as happened with my Buffy) it can be toxic to hens. Cows love it. As far as what to feed - there's a lot of opinions out there and a lot of folk lore and misinformation. What I provide is just my opinionated take - but what I do is very applicable to backyard suburban hen keepers. Laying hen pellets and crumbles are the same, just different sizes. Mash is usually mixed up with a liquid, and something that farmers used to do when they had excess skim and buttermilk.
My hens don't like the big grubs either
I think the spa day will do your hen wonders.