I have a BR chicken, now about 8.5 months old, who consistently lays shells with rough eggs - sometimes they have extra calcium on them, and sometimes they have an unidentified purply-red speckle to them which washes off if I scrub it HARD. (I thought it might be chicken poop, but it doesn't smell like it...?) Very occasionally she will lay a smooth egg, but rarely.
This chicken is also somewhat fat. I am not surprised that she has extra calcium, because she eats extra feed compared the skinnier gals. When I call "treats" she is the most responsive.
I have watched her lay several eggs, including her first egg. She seems to take a long time in the nest box to lay, compared to the other chickens. She also often makes a high-pitched trilling noise (sounds like it hurts) while in the process of laying. The other chickens don't seem to do this. She lays large to extra-large eggs.
I am concerned that at some point she will have problems with becoming egg-bound, etc.
Questions:
* Are chickens who lay rough eggs more likely to become egg bound? Any experience?
* Is there anything I can do to help her laying? I do try not to give her too many treats - generally she just eats more of the layer food than the other gals.
* Anything else I should know or do, on the preventative side? or advice to prepare for an emergency?
Of course she is friendly and a favorite.
The scrawny mean chicken lays small but smooth eggs, no issues.
This chicken is also somewhat fat. I am not surprised that she has extra calcium, because she eats extra feed compared the skinnier gals. When I call "treats" she is the most responsive.
I have watched her lay several eggs, including her first egg. She seems to take a long time in the nest box to lay, compared to the other chickens. She also often makes a high-pitched trilling noise (sounds like it hurts) while in the process of laying. The other chickens don't seem to do this. She lays large to extra-large eggs.
I am concerned that at some point she will have problems with becoming egg-bound, etc.
Questions:
* Are chickens who lay rough eggs more likely to become egg bound? Any experience?
* Is there anything I can do to help her laying? I do try not to give her too many treats - generally she just eats more of the layer food than the other gals.
* Anything else I should know or do, on the preventative side? or advice to prepare for an emergency?
Of course she is friendly and a favorite.
The scrawny mean chicken lays small but smooth eggs, no issues.
