Egg bound??

[divediva]

Hi guys

My 2 golden comet hens started laying at Easter and have been pretty much laying every day with a couple of single eggs every now and again. They have 24/7 access to a nice coop and run, and for a few hours every day they free range in the whole garden. They have a great diet with lots of greens and treats. I also feed their own shells back for calcium.
I know these girls are egg machines and because of that and being so young I'm a bit worried that there has only been one egg for the last three days. I googled egg bound but both my girls are bright, energetic and eating well. These are my first hens so I may be being just a nervous new mom, but also just want happy healthy hens. Yesterday there were a few wet droppings in the coop but today everything is ok. Day three with only one egg. I'm pretty sure the same hen has laid all three as one of the girls lays much lighter eggs and these have all been a lovely dark brown. Please help.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hens take breaks occasionally. As long as your birds are acting fine I wouldn't worry.

 

[divediva]

Hens take breaks occasionally. As long as your birds are acting fine I wouldn't worry.

Thanks very much for responding, they both seem fine.

 

[divediva]

Hi everyone so I posted a few days ago about only having one egg from my 2 hens. It's now day 6 and still the same but I noticed something shocking today. I thought it was a very bright cecal poop but it was an egg with no shell whatsoever. My hens have a great diet and I feed their shells back. The shells are so hard I sometimes can't break them on the pan so I don't understand why there's one perfect egg and one today with no shell. I don't even know who is laying normally. Does this require the vet?
thanks everyone for your input, I'm freaking out a bit.
They are both their normal bubbly selves, no depression and no loss of appetite or funky poop

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hi everyone so I posted a few days ago about only having one egg from my 2 hens. It's now day 6 and still the same but I noticed something shocking today. I thought it was a very bright cecal poop but it was an egg with no shell whatsoever. My hens have a great diet and I feed their shells back. The shells are so hard I sometimes can't break them on the pan so I don't understand why there's one perfect egg and one today with no shell. I don't even know who is laying normally. Does this require the vet?
thanks everyone for your input, I'm freaking out a bit.
They are both their normal bubbly selves, no depression and no loss of appetite or funky poop

An egg with no shell just means the egg came out before the shell could be applied. It happens more when hens are starting up or shutting down. It also happens because of stress. A hen will technically dump an unfinished egg if stressed too much by loud noises or disturbances. Even things like new flock members, or a different feed can be stressful to some hens. It usually is nothing to worry about. If it happens continuously, than there could be a problem with a hens shell gland. You could do nothing about that.

One other cause can occur when people add ACV to the water or if it's excessively hot out and hens are panting. Both can interfere with the uptake and use of calcium. Generally shell are brittle in those instances, but sometimes the shell is absent.

Always make sure you have a separate bowl of oyster shells for the calcium needs. Egg shells are okay, buy oyster shells are available longer in the body, where shells are digested more quickly.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They have a great diet with lots of greens and treats.

I also feed their own shells back for calcium.

I googled egg bound but both my girls are bright, energetic and eating well.

It's now day 6 and still the same but I noticed something shocking today. I thought it was a very bright cecal poop but it was an egg with no shell

My hens have a great diet and I feed their shells back.

You mention they have a great diet with LOTS of greens and TREATS. What is the diet and the treats?

 

[divediva]

They are on layers pellets and also have several hours a day free ranging in the garden. I give them chickweed occasionally, more or less every day they have a mini corn cob between them and I put peas in their toy I made. They are panting and it's not even Summer here, but our humidity is crazy. Sometimes if it's really humid I give them a little yoghurt popsicle. Do you think they are having too many treats or maybe they are not coping in the heat? I found out today who is laying every day and it's Holly, when I was sure it was Ivy.

 

[divediva]

An egg with no shell just means the egg came out before the shell could be applied. It happens more when hens are starting up or shutting down. It also happens because of stress. A hen will technically dump an unfinished egg if stressed too much by loud noises or disturbances. Even things like new flock members, or a different feed can be stressful to some hens. It usually is nothing to worry about. If it happens continuously, than there could be a problem with a hens shell gland. You could do nothing about that.

One other cause can occur when people add ACV to the water or if it's excessively hot out and hens are panting. Both can interfere with the uptake and use of calcium. Generally shell are brittle in those instances, but sometimes the shell is absent.

Always make sure you have a separate bowl of oyster shells for the calcium needs. Egg shells are okay, buy oyster shells are available longer in the body, where shells are digested more quickly.

This is great information, I will try to get my hands on the oyster shell. They may be overheated. I do see them panting. they are going to hate July and August. It's just brutal.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They are on layers pellets and also have several hours a day free ranging in the garden. I give them chickweed occasionally, more or less every day they have a mini corn cob between them and I put peas in their toy I made. They are panting and it's not even Summer here, but our humidity is crazy. Sometimes if it's really humid I give them a little yoghurt popsicle. Do you think they are having too many treats or maybe they are not coping in the heat? I found out today who is laying every day and it's Holly, when I was sure it was Ivy.

If it's very hot, that can may them go off lay. Sounds more like they are having trouble coping with the heat.
Shade and fresh cool water helps.
Everyone's weather is different, but here we have quite a bit of humidity, it can be stifling. I run fans in my run and coop to keep air moving, it does seem to help some.

 

[divediva]

So I made a mud bath for their feet as I read someone had used it, because it helps cool them down. I lowered them gently into it and held them for a few seconds so they would feel how nice it was but neither of them stayed in. I made it just deep enough to cover their feet. Any advice to make it more appealing. I made it in a washing up bowl. should I dig it in the garden?