First sick chicken

[NorthwoodsChick]

Would that cause her comb to be pale? I know it doesn’t look bad in the picture but it’s not nearly as red as it usually is.

If she laid a softshell egg then give her a calcium tablet. just open her beak and plop it in.
I’m sure you have checked her over for lice I missed reading about poop; How’s her stool?

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Not all. I have a Silkie that doesn’t. When I pick her up and take her out of the nest she just pancakes back out where ever I put her. Takes her a few mins before she jumps up to go eat and drinks then heads back to the nest.

possible. The OP hen is not pancaked out. more like a perching position.

 

[dmartin101]

If she laid a softshell egg then give her a calcium tablet. just open her beak and plop it in.
I’m sure you have checked her over for lice I missed reading about poop; How’s her stool?

I checked her and didn’t see any signs of lice or mites. Her legs and feet look good. All the poop in the henhouse looks normal.

Is there a calcium tablet you recommend?

 

[Kanekoded]

Would that cause her comb to be pale? I know it doesn’t look bad in the picture but it’s not nearly as red as it usually is.

Yes. The comb and wattles have a tendency to pale when they go broody.

 

[Sally PB]

Is there a calcium tablet you recommend?

Calcium citrate. Exactly what you'd take for a calcium supplement, so it's what you'd find in the grocery store. Don't worry about the size of the pill; put it in her beak and she'll get it down.

I don't know from experience, but if you need to get her beak open, pull gently down on her wattles, and she'll open up. (Read that here on BYC.)

 

[Eggcessive]

I also recommend a human calcium tablet 600 mg with vitamin D or Tums once a day given orally or in food until her eggs are again normal. Calcium citrate is the quicker absorbed, but you can use calcium carbonate or Tums as well. Hens who lay a soft or shell-less egg may feel weak or lousy, until they get back to a normal egg. There could be a calcium deficiency or her shell gland may be acting up. Look for another soft egg soon.

 

[Kanekoded]

An eggshell consists mostly of calcium carbonate, you can simply crush one up and give it to her, she'll eat it. I wouldn't worry too much about her laying a shell-less egg if it has only happened once. It's a common phenomenon with new layers.

 

[TXchickmum]

One of my 8 month old Buff Orpingtons just finished with her first broody spell. She relentlessly sat on the nest for two weeks, only coming off once or twice a day for a quick bite to eat. At first, she did not squawk, growl, or fluff up. After about four days, she began the classic broody behavior. The extreme cold snap broke the broodiness, and she went back to her normal self. All of my chickens have laid soft shelled, odd shaped, or small eggs when just starting out. Anyway, just keep an eye on her. If her condition changes, or she develops any type of other "symptoms", then I would think something might be wrong. -hope she perks up soon!

 

[Chiquita Gallina]

My sweet Gracie is not feeling well. She got on the nest at 3:30 this morning and hasn’t moved. I picked her up and she had laid a soft shell egg. She’s not eating or drinking. Her comb is pale compared to what it usually looks like. When I pick her up and set her down, she’s a little unsteady on her feet then lays back down.

Her eyes are open and alert but she doesn’t move or resist at all when I pick her up.

She’s 8 months old and has been laying about 3 eggs a week for 3 weeks. Her vent is clean, just a little poop on her booty feathers but not bad or unusual. l don’t feel an egg inside. I felt her crop and didn’t feel anything but I’m not sure I know what would be normal there.

On Monday I fed all my girls some kale so I’m wondering if she needs some vitamins?

Other info: She’s a silver laced Wyandotte. I feed layer pellets and they always have access to grit and oyster shell. I usually give Grubblies as treats but the last 10 days have also given some scratch since it was so cold. My other 7 girls seem fine. We are in Arkansas and the weather has been very mild (50-60s) the past few days. We have a henhouse with pine shavings and a large run. They free range only with supervision a few hours a week because of the hawks. She hasn’t been out of the coop/run for about a week.

I’m new to chickens and this is the first time I’ve had one not feeling well. Gracie is one of my most active and is at the top of the pecking order so it’s very disconcerting to see her like this. Would be so grateful for any advice.

I think, as someone else mentioned, she wants to become a “mom” and went broody…not sure if you have roo’, but hens can become broody without one. My 2 Golden Lace Wyndotte Bantams, my Cockoo Maran and Silver Wyndotte, all used to be broody every 3 weeks, even after a year without a roo. They had stopped brooding since last July.
Soft egg: are you adding scraps that might have onions? Onions will soften egg shells.

 

[dmartin101]

Calcium citrate. Exactly what you'd take for a calcium supplement, so it's what you'd find in the grocery store. Don't worry about the size of the pill; put it in her beak and she'll get it down.

I don't know from experience, but if you need to get her beak open, pull gently down on her wattles, and she'll open up. (Read that here on BYC.)

Thank you!