Constipated hen

[Eddie12109]

Hi all!
I may be overreacting but who knows. My 7-8 year old hen seems to be a little behind on pooping. She still lays eggs about 2-3 times a week and today she laid an egg. The thing is, when she knows I’m outside or coming outside, she will hold her egg in and when I come near her she will squat down and start bocking constantly until I lift her into the egg box so she can lay her egg. That’s what always happens but once before, I took her egg away too quickly because we have an egg eater in the flock and although she jumped down, later in the day she went back up to lay on an imaginary egg because she didn’t feel like she laid on her real one long enough. I had to go inside, grab her real egg and put it under her for her to feel satisfied.

Well today the same thing happened but I didn’t need to grab her real egg, she jumped down after hanging out with no egg up there.
I only have four hens so they will usually come into the garage to sleep and I know there poop schedules pretty well. In the past four hours it’s normal for her to 2-3 poops and she has had none. Might sound like I’m overreacting but I want to help her nonetheless.
I mentioned the egg because I feel like it could have something to do with it. I’m thinking about bringing her her egg and she if she will lay on it, or eat it . What’s the treatment for a constipated hen? @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[Aunt Angus]

I think you can feed a little bit of frozen coconut oil.

I am impressed she still lays! What breed is she?

 

[Iluveggers]

I’m curious to see what others have to say!

One thought, have you tried putting a wooden or ceramic egg in the nest so there will always be one there? Might stop the egg eating (can’t open those!) and would always have one under her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did she lay an egg today?

For a hen that is constipated, I would give her 1 tsp coconut oil or mineral oil twice a day.

 

[Eddie12109]

I think you can feed a little bit of frozen coconut oil.

I am impressed she still lays! What breed is she?

I will do that, I will send a picture of her. I’m not sure

 

[Eddie12109]

I’m curious to see what others have to say!

One thought, have you tried putting a wooden or ceramic egg in the nest so there will always be one there? Might stop the egg eating (can’t open those!) and would always have one under her.

I have been thinking about doing that... the thing is, I am fine with them eating it, I usually give it to them as a treat it’s just that if my little egg eater goes in there and the hen who just laid wants to lay on it again so she will lay in the yoke and need a bath

 

[Eddie12109]

Did she lay an egg today?

For a hen that is constipated, I would give her 1 tsp coconut oil or mineral oil twice a day.

Yes she did lay an egg today. And I will do that right now!

 

[Eddie12109]

Whew!! I overreacted! I hope... I will continue to monitor but she has this nice poop. I have noticed that the poops from the three hens, not Eddie, have been darker, more of a black color and a little loose.
I would say the egg eater, my little ascites hen has the poop due to ascites but what about the other two? @azygous mentioned charcoal and wood ash but I haven’t been giving either. Any ideas?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Looks like a good poop! They could be eating something that's just darker - like soil or bugs, maybe. For me, as long as their poop isn't super loose, bloody, or wormy (ew), I don't worry too much. There are lots of variables that can change the appearance of their poop.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poop looks fine to me.