Chicken having problems with laying eggs + 10cm sac attached to vent

[LizzzyBird]

That product is essentially scratch or mixed corn as we would call it here in the UK. The problem with it is that it is only 11.4% protein which is not enough for laying hens. It is also high in carbohydrates and unless the chickens are free ranging all day and burning off those carbs, they will be laid down as fat. Heavier birds are less likely to burn them off than lightweight active birds like leghorns, so they are more at risk of becoming obese. Since you have already stated that you believe you may have been over treating them and you have a hen experiencing laying issues, I would stop giving them any of this product altogether for a while (a month or two) and just supply a layer feed which should be around 16% protein.

Our chickens do free range all day, they only get closed up during the night. However, I probably will stop giving them the treats for a little while. Thank you for your help.

 

[LizzzyBird]

Hmmm? Anyways that looks like a soft shell egg stuck to her feathers and possibly just needs more Calcium..Do you provide oyster shell? I didn't bother reading all replies..

Yep, recently I have started putting a container of Oyster shell out. She will eat from it if we actually pick up the container and put it in front of her, lol. I don't know if she eats from it otherwise, I would hopefully assume so.

 

[rebrascora]

Protein has nothing to do with egg building..Calcium does

I beg to differ. Eggs contain quite a lot of protein and need both protein and calcium and a number of other nutrients to be produced.
Also an obese hen will be unable to properly digest and process the nutrients from their food, as well as be at risk of reproductive ailments like egg binding and prolapse and internal laying and salpingitis. If the protein content of the feed is too low, the carbohydrate content will be higher and that can lead to an obese hen.

 

[chickens really]

I beg to differ. Eggs contain quite a lot of protein and need both protein and calcium and a number of other nutrients to be produced.
Also an obese hen will be unable to properly digest and process the nutrients from their food, as well as be at risk of reproductive ailments like egg binding and prolapse and internal laying and salpingitis. If the protein content of the feed is too low, the carbohydrate content will be higher and that can lead to an obese hen.

Too high in fat you get fat hens that can't release an egg because the arse is too fat. Calcium builds strong eggs. Why chickens need a proper balance depending on breed of Chicken in protein levels...

 

[chickens really]

What breed are these Birds?

 

[LizzzyBird]

What breed are these Birds?

They are Orpingtons

 

[chickens really]

They are Orpingtons

16% protein is all they need..
I fed 16% Grower / finisher

 

[MissChick@dee]

The treats that I give her and a scratch and lay mixture, and I give them very sparsely (less than a hand full a day (some days they don't even get any)- so literally a few pinches)- but thats now. I am confused though, because the packet that the scratch and lay mixture comes in says that they should be given to them quite often. "Add liberally in feeders from 16 weeks of age" (under feeding guide on the packet).

I will admit we were a bit loose with the mixture when we first got the hens, which is why we have cut down. I will also agree with the fact that they were most likely eating less than the layer feed when getting those treats- and again, since we have cut down she has started eating a lot more of her layer feed.
I'll try the mash idea.
Thank you for replying to the thread, and for all of the information

View attachment 1608553

I just recently served mash to my birds. They LOVE it. So simple. I really didn’t think they’d give it a try. I zap it in the microwave for a bit and serve it warm on cold days. They think it’s a treat! Mixing in some TUMS (for calcium) should go unnoticed. Best wishes

 

[EggWalrus]

I beg to differ. Eggs contain quite a lot of protein and need both protein and calcium and a number of other nutrients to be produced.
Also an obese hen will be unable to properly digest and process the nutrients from their food, as well as be at risk of reproductive ailments like egg binding and prolapse and internal laying and salpingitis. If the protein content of the feed is too low, the carbohydrate content will be higher and that can lead to an obese hen.

@rebrascora is right. It takes lots of protein to make an egg. If you think of it like an egg actually is, two parts, the protein makes the egg contents, but the calcium makes the shell that holds the contents. For good strong "bullet proof" shells you want lots of calcium for your girls. But calcium has little to do with egg quality other than shells, and we don't eat shells, do we?

 

[chickens really]

My friend last winter made a warm dinner mash to her Chickens and they ate it all up ...In the morning she had dead hens and others with frozen solid crops that she had to bring into her kitchen 16 dying hens to see if crops would thaw...Regular feed is all they need.