Egg laying issues after molt

[AggieKat]

My hen, Sirius, who previously had a case of sour crop during the start of her molt, is now finished with her first molt. Finally! However, in getting back to laying eggs, she’s been having trouble. She has laid several soft shelled eggs in the run and then the two hens ate the yolk. She had one shell less egg on the porch and I think another one in the egg box.

She is eating and drinking fine, no waddling around like she would be egg bound. Poops are normal. Feed is Purina Layena. I added oyster shell free choice on the side as well as a smaller waterer with ACV.

I started Calcium citrate + Vit D tablets today…should I try anything else? Is is just from coming out of molt and not laying?

 

[coach723]

I have had birds have all sorts of weird issues coming into or out of molt, it happens. Give the calcium citrate once a day for a week, see if things improve. If they get deficient then the amount in the feed may not be enough to reverse that, once you get it back up to normal levels, then the feed and oyster shell should be enough to maintain it. Diet matters too, vitamin D is important, and too many of some types of greens can inhibit calcium absorption. Greens (and other foods) that are high in oxalates (oxalic acid) should be limited. Some birds are more sensitive than others. How old is she?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd continue with the extra Calcium for another 3-5 days.

Re-check to make sure her crop is emptying, look her over for lice/mites. Has she been dewormed?
Sometimes hens begin to have issues with soft shelled and shell less eggs and no matter how much calcium they get or what they are fed, the eggs just don't firm up. If that's the case then a shell gland defect may be suspected. I don't know of any fix or remedy for that.
Rule out stress, lice/mites, worms, etc.

 

[Yardmom]

Laying multiple soft shelled eggs after molt is not normal. It sounds like you are doing all the right things. It sounds like you already know to keep an eye on her to make sure a soft egg doesn't get stuck. Sorry, I don't know of anything else to do for reproductive issues.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is there a way to get a fecal float to rule out worms and Coccidiosis as part of the problem.

It's not uncommon for hens that have underlying conditions like reproductive disorders, infections, etc. to also have symptoms like sour crop or a slow crop.

Treat symptoms and see how it goes. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I can't say it's a breed issue. I've had hens of various breeds succumb to reproductive disorders and cancer. Sadly, these problems are all too common in laying hens. It's heartbreaking. To know more if you lose her, getting a necropsy through your state lab will give you the most information. If you are up to it, then doing your own informal investigation can often reveal some things as well, but you may not find all the answers either.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Drinking lots of water still, she's probably got a partial blockage somewhere. You can try giving an epsom salt or molasses flush to see if that helps clear it up.

 

[AggieKat]

Drinking lots of water still, she's probably got a partial blockage somewhere. You can try giving an epsom salt or molasses flush to see if that helps clear it up.

Gave the Epsom salt flush and that didn’t seem to get things moving, unfortunately. I got a fecal float test done and they found no worms, cocci, or gram positive bacteria so the vet thinks she probably has an infection in her reproductive tract somewhere due to the strange eggs she was laying prior.

Going to take her in tomorrow for an exam and hopefully get some answers and strong medicine. The good news is she is hanging on and scratching around with her pal, Pepper, today in the yard. Just wish she would eat more than just a mealworm or mosquito hawk here and there.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Keep us posted on what the vet says.

 

[AggieKat]

Update for y’all-thank you again for your help. Sirius has recovered and seems to be doing well. I haven’t SEEN her lay an egg but we have had 2 weeks straight of eggs everyday…so she is possibly laying also? I just have the one other Australorp hen who was a 4 or 5 day a week layer. She is also doing the submissive squat whenever I walk up so all good signs I think!

 

[azygous]

Unfortunately, internal laying can happen to any hen, any breed, any age. It's not known what exactly causes it, but some sort of trauma to the oviduct is often the cause, and eggs reverse course in the oviduct and spill over into the abdominal cavity. The youngest hen with this in my flock was just short of one year old and she was a Blue Andalusian.

Your older hen will eventually warm up to the younger ones over time as they all become used to one another.