Fairy Egg & Other Quirks: Should I be Concerned?

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I recently posted about my RIR Willow, who is ~ 4.5 years old. Last week, she started a habit of plucking my molting hen's blood feathers on her vent, so I had to keep her in a separation pen (still in the main run--big enough for a dust bath area, food, water, and a perch). Around that time I noticed the following:

• She'd act like she had to lay, dart to the nesting box, spend time in there, and come out to stuff her face as if she'd laid--but no egg. She did this about 2-3 times, the first couple of days she was in her separation pen.
• The next 3-4 days she stopped acting like she had to lay altogether. No eggs, no egg laying behavior. Her comb and wattles were still bright red and she'd squat, but she was slightly less vocal.
• During this period of time (the past week), she'd eat slightly less. Her crop would still have food in it throughout the day, but it wasn't giant like it normally is on this hen. It fully empties overnight. Poops are runnier than usual, but the color is normal. Still high energy and dying to roam.
• I can't tell if she has unusual swelling/firmness of her lower abdomen. I'm (sadly) not new to internal laying/EYP, but the hens that suffered from internal laying began to very obviously swell; and the EYP would make them very obviously sick.
• Today, she laid a fairy egg. It looks exactly like one of her normal eggs except miniature.
  

My hope is that she's transitioning out of lay for a while, but her hormones are a bit wonky as she does so. In the past, when she gets quieter and more obedient about coming for treats, she's molting or about to molt--however this is a bit early for her (and she already had a mini-molt about a month or so ago). Should I be concerned about reproductive disease? Any red flags that indicate I should start her on antibiotics? Do you think I'm causing too much stress with the separation?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some of my birds are beginning to molt already. Fairy eggs are generally seen when hens start up laying or when they are shutting down. I would guess shutting down.

If she's eating feathers it generally means she's craving protein. That might be why she's running to the nest boxes as well. She might be looking for eggs to eat. I would transition her to a higher protein ration to see if it helps.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Some of my birds are beginning to molt already. Fairy eggs are generally seen when hens start up laying or when they are shutting down. I would guess shutting down.

If she's eating feathers it generally means she's craving protein. That might be why she's running to the nest boxes as well. She might be looking for eggs to eat. I would transition her to a higher protein ration to see if it helps.

Thanks! I've been upping her protein. She really only does this to the blood feather nubs as they appear, but once feathered out, she loses interest (so hoping she won't have to stay quarantined long).

Unfortunately, it seems she may be ill. No egg or egg activity since the fairy egg, but she's been keeping to herself more, and seems to have a faster than normal respiratory rate (and open mouth breaths when breathing out). She's eating and drinking (not as much as she would when actively laying, but enough), but her poops are still more diarrhea-like. I have her on baytril as a precaution against reproductive disease. If that doesn't work, my guess is impaction or cancer. She's an RIR hybrid, 4.5 y/o.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some do keep to themselves when feeling unwell, or going through a molt. Hopefully the medication helps.