Egg laying issues after molt

[AggieKat]

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.

Thank you for your response! I re checked for lice/mites and we are good to go on that front.
She has started having milky white poops with small normal brown droppings in the middle at times. I checked her crop this morning because she didn’t want to eat and it wasn’t full but maybe slightly squishy? I made her burp and it smelled a little sour so I’m starting the miconozole again
I also did an Epsom salt bath just in case she has an egg in there stuck?? She seemed to enjoy the warm water and getting her butt area clean. The white poop has been sticking to her feathers.

I felt inside with a gloved finger and couldn’t feel an egg. But I’m also not sure where I need to probe to feel one More milky white poop came out when I removed my finger. And she had 2 more of those poops after her bath. Still not interested in eating.

I’m worried she has a reproductive tract issue and that’s causing the recurrent sour crop and egg laying issues. I lost my other hen to repeated sour crop this summer. Could it be the breed? They are Australorps that I hatched from Cackle Hatchery eggs. Just stinks that I’m having problems with girls from the same batch and I am so sad about Sirius being sick. I just got 3 more chicks and even though I’m just 2 years into my chicken keeping journey, I feel like they are incredibly fragile…or maybe I’m doing something wrong?

Any thoughts? Thanks so much for your help!

 

[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.

 

[AggieKat]

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.

started treating the sour crop on Friday pm and she’s still hanging on. Doesn’t want to eat yet but is drinking lots of water If it was worms or Coccidiosis, my other hen would be sick also right? She has been fine and laying normally, eating/drinking, normal poops.

How long do you treat recurrent sour crop issues, etc before you decide it’s not quality of life anymore for your hen? I’m wanting to keep her happy but if she’s miserable even with treatment, I’m wondering if I need to just cull her.

Being a chicken lady is tough sometimes y’all. Thanks for your help and advice!

 

[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]

Keep us posted on what the vet says.

The vet visit went well. She didn’t feel any eggs inside her and no fluid building up in her abdomen. She thinks what she could feel is her uterus being swollen, so we will treat with antibiotics (Clavamox 250 mg every 12 hours) and see if it clears up whatever infection may be going on in there.

I’ll keep her on the miconozole once a day throughout to avoid another bad case of sour crop during antibiotics. And she gave me a tube to feed her since she’s not really eating much.

I have gotten her to eat strawberries and mealworms, so I guess that’s good. At least she’s eating something even if it seems like “junk food”. Fingers crossed we can make it through this and somehow get her egg situation sorted out afterwards.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the update.
I hope she starts to improve.

 

[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!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Glad she's doing better!
It's possible that she's come into lay after getting through this period of decline.