Eggs getting stuck and changing color

[Watermeat]

Now, I have two different types of chickens. Half of them are Easter Eggers, and half lay brown eggs.

Recently, the chickens that lay our brown eggs have been having a few issues with laying their eggs. They have gotten stuck three times now in the last week. And today, they were all suddenly white instead of brown. The Easter Eggers haven't been having any issues. Is there something wrong with them and what can I do?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Now, I have two different types of chickens. Half of them are Easter Eggers, and half lay brown eggs.

Recently, the chickens that lay our brown eggs have been having a few issues with laying their eggs. They have gotten stuck three times now in the last week. And today, they were all suddenly white instead of brown. The Easter Eggers haven't been having any issues. Is there something wrong with them and what can I do?

What breed? Pics of the hens? Age?

 

[Eggcessive]

Are you using a layer feed and supplementing calcium with crushed oyster shell in a separate container for free choice? Do you have multiple water stations with cool shaded water? Egg binding can be due to dehydration, low calcium levels, holding eggs for a favorite nest box to become available, and stress. The shell gland is where the egg gets it shell color, and there may be a problem there. How could you tell they were egg bound?

 

[Watermeat]

What breed? Pics of the hens? Age?

Their breeds are Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock and California White. They're just over a year old. The Barred Rock is suddenly refusing to walk now and keeps falling on her side. Their breathing all seems to be normal.

 

[Watermeat]

Are you using a layer feed and supplementing calcium with crushed oyster shell in a separate container for free choice? Do you have multiple water stations with cool shaded water? Egg binding can be due to dehydration, low calcium levels, holding eggs for a favorite nest box to become available, and stress. The shell gland is where the egg gets it shell color, and there may be a problem there. How could you tell they were egg bound?

They have four different sources of water, multiple places for shade, eat laying mash and are given their own egg shells that have been crushed for calcium. Whenever they start to act funny I commonly check their vents to make sure they dont have a stuck egg since that seems to be a common issue. One a few days ago prolapsed her vent trying to push out an egg that had no shell (it was taken care of). As an update, just an hour ago one of them collapsed on her side and she is now refusing to walk.

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

Soak in Epsom salt soak. Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give the collapsed hen some electrolytes or gatorade, from a smal cup or scoop held up to her beak or dripped on the side of her beak. You also might go ahead and insert a finger inside her vent to feel for an egg. Were they vaccinated for Mareks disease, and have you added any new chickens to the flock in the last 3 or more weeks?

 

[Watermeat]

I would give the collapsed hen some electrolytes or gatorade, from a smal cup or scoop held up to her beak or dripped on the side of her beak. You also might go ahead and insert a finger inside her vent to feel for an egg. Were they vaccinated for Mareks disease, and have you added any new chickens to the flock in the last 3 or more weeks?

She's willingly drinking, so I'll be sure to give her some gatorade. There are no new chickens, and I'm trying to keep an eye on her for Mareks. They are not vaccinated, but I'm trying my best to convince my family to let me vaccinate them (they're antivaxx, sadly, and it's difficult).

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be too late to vaccinate anyway. A Mareks vaccination is best given at the hatchery the day they hatch. Many people do not vaccinate for Mareks. I have both vaccinated and non-vaccinated chickens, the later ones hatched here. Many things can mimic Mareks symptoms, and here is a good article about Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/