First huge eggs, then prolapse, now huge BROKEN eggs!

[Nonny]

I have a hen here (a red cross) who is around 18 months old, she had been laying quite large eggs compared to the other girls, and recently one got stuck and broke in her vent, which prolapsed. I managed to sort out the prolapse and get her back to normal with a few days of TLC and low light.

Now that is she is back laying again (she was off the lay for maybe a week and a half?) the eggs are still huge but they are softer than usual and breaking before they come out. I have read that I should increase her calcium, however I'm worried that to harden those shells will cause another prolapse. Is there some reason she might be laying such abnormally large eggs? Is the risk of another prolapse greater than the risk of an infection from the broken eggs? They are easily 30 - 40% larger than all the other eggs and before the prolapse her larger ones were "body checked" with a thickened band around it.

Aside from the egg issues, she is foraging, eating and drinking as usual, although she seems a little depressed, keeping to herself, tail held a bit lower than usual, and putting herself to bed early at night.

Any tips or advice would be well appreciated.

 

[TOOCLOSE]

At the top of the page in the white block? Click in it and type a question about your hen! Then click the Search button. You'll be taken to a whole lot of suggestions to choose from that could answer your questions.

Good luck!

TC

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hens, in fact all chickens carry their fat in the gut and around their vent or egg laying orifice. Are you sure your not killing your chickens with too much kindness? A lot of fat clustered around a chicken's vent makes egg laying difficult and this could lead to a prolapsed vent.. You should be able to feel your hens' hip bones and they should be rather sharp. If not then a trip to a Jenney Craig Seminar may be in order, for your hen that is, not for you.

 

[Nonny]

She's definitely not overweight... quite scrawny in fact. My two older girls are matronly, but the three younger ones still have very lean figures.

I have found info on prolapses and also on large eggs and broken eggs, but not combination of those factors.

 

[TOOCLOSE]

She's definitely not overweight... quite scrawny in fact. My two older girls are matronly, but the three younger ones still have very lean figures.

I have found info on prolapses and also on large eggs and broken eggs, but not combination of those factors.

I can't resist asking this. Is she with a rooster?
Roosters lube them up after they lay their eggs!
Sorry if that's TMI!

TC

 

[Nonny]

No roosters here... we are in suburbia where you can only have up to 6 hens. Hoping to find an answer, as I feel my only other option is culling rather than having repeated prolapses and/or bacterial infections etc.

 

[TOOCLOSE]

Cod Liver Oil has always helped my girls!
Can you poke a gel cap into her mouth once a day to see
if that will help her?

TC

 

[Nonny]

Definitely worth a try, thanks!

 

[TOOCLOSE]

Definitely worth a try, thanks!

You're welcome!
I hope that solves her problem!

TC