first egg!!! BUT A PROBLEM....

[Graces chicks]

Our (well, our 7 year old daughter's) Silver Laced Wyandottes (well, one of them at least) have, this morning laid their first egg.

Our daughter went out to let them out and came back in to say that she could 'see' an egg at the back of her chicken.

We then realised that 'poppy' had indeed laid an egg, but this was enclosed in a red membrane and was still attached to her vent as she wandered around the garden looking very sore.

I then got hold of her and examined the egg and membrane.

I noticed a very thin and clear area of membrane and rubbed through it gently, allowing the egg out.

She was left looking very sore.....

She has continued wandering around perfectly well and the mass of tissue has receeded back inside partially, but some of it remains looking 'swollen'.

We are only an hour or so on and will continue to watch her, but is there any advice or concerns we should be aware of?

Grace hatched the birds herself and ended up with 2 pullets (and 4 roosters which have now been rehomed).... she also has 9 Pekin bantams at 5 weeks old - again - home hatched!

Thanks in anticipation!

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Sounds like prolapsed vent:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic.html

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I agree with HSC; and a prolapsing vent is a bad thing. The other birds will peck it and can kill her. Hope it's okay now, and if not she needs to be separate and maybe see the vet ASAP. Mineral imbalances in the feed can cause this, so make sure the feed is right. Mary

 

[Graces chicks]

Thanks for your replies. Having looked up prolapsed vent - that is certainly what it appears to be.

After a couple of hours, she looked to be OK and seems to be doing ok this morning. The vent appears normal and she seems to be defaecating normally.

Havent had another egg so far, so Ive got my fingers crossed that she'll be OK when she next lays.

DIet is good - commercial feed with a good availability of greens etc. and they're generally good and healthy birds at about 25 weeks old.

Will keep you updated as things progress but thanks for the valuable input so far.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

*fingers crossed*

 

[Folly's place]

You can unbalance the ration by overfeeding greens and other goodies. Layer or flock raiser should be the primary diet, with free choice oyster shell on the side. Limit the other stuff! Mary

 

[Graces chicks]

Thanks everyone for your help with this one.

Sadly, after a few days of appearing to be normal, the proapse recurred. We bathed and nursed her and tried
repeatedly to ease the prolapse back in, but ultimately, after a couple of days in isolation it was too much for her and we sadly lost her.

Grace was devastated as they are her 'babies' and being left with only 1 pullet out out of 6 chicks, feels a bit disappointed. The next day, however, her sister (Dotty) layed her first egg and has continued to do so ever, averaging 2 eggs in 3 days.

We've now also got our 8 wk old Pekin bantams out in the run with her, although she doesnt seem overly keen!

Here is Grace with Dotty.

Thanks again everyone.