Egg color and size change

[Mamato6]

Hey all, can the outdoor temperature change the size and color of a hens eggs or even stop a hen from laying? My mother in law has two laying hens. They're about 1 yr old, free range, water in containers all around, they go back to the run every now and then to eat (or lay) we live in Southern Texas it's been pretty hot. Also I bought 3 Lavender Amaraucanas that apparently had MG and passed it to a few of my chicks, I treated them with Tylan 50 and they're better but clearly still carriers. The two hens and her buff laced polish Roo come over here and walk around my coop and my chicks if they're out. One hen (Rhode Island Red mix) hasn't laid in like 4 or 5 days unless she's hiding them somewhere (2.61 acres) and the other hen's (leghorn) has changed size and color (as shown- top 2 are the last two days, smaller and whiter)

 

[gamebirdsonly]

yes as hens get older or during a laying cycle eggs sometimes get lighter color and sometimes shape or size maybe affected. At least it happens with some of my hens.

 

[Mamato6]

@gamebirdsonly do they ever stop laying for a bit?

I also should have mentioned and will edit it in, I bought Lavender Amaraucanas that brought MG to my chicks. I treated them with Tylan 50 and they're better now but clearly still carriers. The hens (and her buff laced polish Roo) walk near/around my run (and the chicks if they're out)

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Yes, I've heard that temperatures may stop (temporarily, though) laying.

 

[Mamato6]

The RIR died last night

 

[SpinningJenny]

The RIR died last night

OH NO!!! How old was she? Did she get heat stroke, or was she maybe egg bound? I'm so sorry.

 

[Mamato6]

@SpinningJenny Im not sure, a couple nights ago I put her in a bin of warm water in a small bathroom with the shower going on hot until it built up enough heat in there and sat there with her massaging her abdomen and nothing. So I drained the water wrapped her in a towel and let her sleep in the bathroom. No egg in the morning either. That day she seemed ok, she was walking around with the other hen and the Roo. Next day same thing but she didn't seem to be eating. The night I had her in the water I also massaged her crop and it seemed like it was all water (you could hear the water moving around) Not sure on exact age as my mother in law got the two hens from a lady that had too many chickens and wasn't really taking care of them. She was a good egg layer too, nice big brown eggs, with healthy looking yolks!

 

[Mamato6]

Oh and I don't know if the MG got to them too, but they didn't seem to exhibit the same symptoms my chicks had (sneezing, foamy/watery eyes, and one ended up with a messed up hock joint which I'm not sure is related or not)

 

[chickengeorgeto]

if Mother Nature had wanted hens to lay around in sauna baths she would have given hens sweat glands or maybe webbed feet. All chickens are equipped with a gland called a Popes nose located at the base of their tails. The purpose of this gland is to produce oil that the hen then uses to preen and maintain her feathers. Steam cleaning a hen or giving her a bath destroys the natural oils that hens (and roosters) depends on to maintain their plumage which helps maintain their normal body temperature. When you see a chicken plunge her head into her tail feathers then start pulling her plumage through her beak she is replacing this oil or dressing her feathers.

 

[Mamato6]

@chickengeorgeto I only had her in the water because I thought she may have been egg bound. I was trying to relax her and was massaging her abdomen. I wouldn't just put her in water for no reason