Friends, I have a problem and would love advice. Apologies for the lengthy post.

Ethyl has been poorly. She has limped on her right leg on and off really her whole life (she is almost six months). Mostly it’s been okay, and has improved, but this week it got worse and the others attacked her so she has been in the sick bay for two days.

(Many mornings she comes to me to help her off the perch even though there are ladders and easy ways down—that no one uses lol. I always help her. But I think she’s been jumping lately.)

This morning I saw that, overnight, she laid two tiny, soft eggs. These are her first.

Obviously she needs calcium (the other layers are fine, not sure what’s afoot here) although they all have shell out and all that. But also I am wondering if this might affect her leg.

I’m going to give her a warm bath this morning. I was just hoping that you all would have more experience with something like this.

Tax (waiting to go back out)
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To boost calcium I usually crush up some calcium carbonate antacid tablets (mixed berry is the preferred flavor here) and cook a little omelette with it mixed into the egg. It smells awful, and looks revolting, but usually does help with those sorts of egg issues. There could be some more issues going on. One of my girls from my first hatch, Tiny, was undersized and sickly as a chick, she barely ever lays and it was usually soft shelled. She also lays a tiny and fairly pink egg (pink mixed berry supplemental calcium most likely!) instead of the green she is supposed to be producing and it’s one egg every week or two instead of 3-4 eggs a week. She is now just as large as her siblings, but still erratic at laying at best. Mind you too much calcium can damage their kidneys, so supplement carefully.

As to the limping, carefully observe her to see if you can figure out where the limp is
Originating. Roostie’s limp with his swollen and painful foot is completely different than my Hoppy’s limp was. Hoppy was dropped by a kid (as a mature 3+year old hen) and her leg was fractured. Although she healed she always walked with a pronounced limp afterward, although it didn’t usually seem to cause her any pain. Sometimes though, when the weather would change and we would get a sudden change in air pressure, temperature, or humidity coming in, she did seem to be in discomfort and much slower. Basically any time my knees aches significantly, hers seemed to as well (chronic knee problems), much like arthritis or broken bones that are weather-wise.
Edit to add: at just 6 months, she is just starting to lay, so there may be some kinks for her to work out... every chicken is different I find. If they have been on starter/grower, and she isn’t interested in the supplemental calcium you’ve been providing then that could result in a soft shelled egg. I have switched to layer for my laying flock, and offer oyster shell on the side, but not all chickens seem to really go for it. I also sometimes see thin shells on the free range flock when the don’t eat their pellets, and just forage and gorge on the treats, so cutting those down might also be helpful, depending on what and how you’re feeding.
 
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It only took one day for results! Got it today. Husband is Negative! Good to know. I went ahead yesterday and bought an oximeter from Amazon. Got it today. The guy that came out first yesterday to the car said it would be a good idea. Thinking he was ..noting...older folks... ;) Boy, husband is more sick today. Coughing. Poor guy, that's miserable. They did say to keep him home until his symptoms subside. Well...yeah. We aren't one to go out when ill. Even if it isn't too bad. We don't work, do don't need to go spread a I bug.
The negative test is good news. Take good care of him, which I know you will. :hugs
 
I have another question about moulting hens for the chicken think tank:
How soon after it starts will you know if it’s going to be a soft or hard moult? My gut is telling me it will be a soft moult with Bok but gee wizz, she dropping them so quick I thought I’d ask... just want to be prepared.
Going to make her some scrambled eggs just now to assist with protein, thankfully she no longer lays.
Everytime she preens she leaves this behind
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and I will admit, I haven’t been too observant in the past (shame on me, I know) but I’m trying to be now and learn more each day 🙂
I patted her back softly before and about 10 fluffy ones came away with my hand
I have always observed that if they molt hard, they always molt hard. They may not be as bad from 1 year to the next but I can tell you right now how each of mine will do. At least those who have molted once at over a year.
  • Hattie hard molt
  • Aurora medium molt, takes a long time
  • Lilly mild molt
These need another year to be sure.
  • Sansa mild molt
  • Sydney mild molt
  • Phyllis mild molt
So if she had hard molted before, I would expect it again.
 
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Yup a coming on 5 year old this spring Rocky Mountain Horse named Dirt. When he arrived at the old barn around 18 months old he still was unnamed and for sale. During that time we had around 10 horses boarded down there and we spent pretty much all day every day down there taking care of the horses, property and cleaning and mom couldn't stand that he didn't have a name. At the time, none of them were ours but we ran the place and my mom and dad were looking for the right horse. Ironically, it just so happened that Rocky and Kentucky mountain horses were exactly what they were looking at and for. My dad cannot handle to ride rough horses anymore and wanted a smother gaited horse. Now my mom can't stand common or normal names, and my dad and daughter Rosie were calling him Dusty. Nope she wouldn't have it, everyone has a horse named Dusty as she put it, his name was Dirt. My dad's jaw about hit the floor. He wanted to know what crazy person named their horse Dirt. She just gave him a look and asked, out of all the horse show's he's been to had he ever heard of one named Dirt. Then she asked how many times had he heard them announce the name Dusty. So that is how he got his name, and within a month he was ours. And I have to admit, the name has grown on me, it suits him and one of his nicknames is Dirtman.
Here is a picture of him not long after we got him.
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about 2 months later
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And my mom and her boy taken on New Years.
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Thanks for sharing the story of his name. That's great.

Mrs BY Bob loved that story. She also is into the unusual names. Elphie, Jabberwocky, Hattie are examples.
 
I cheated. The coop cam got a video and I went frame by frame to pick the best shots. It was quite an event. I was standing out of shot with the other ladies cheering her on, but I hadn’t switched off the camera so I knew it would have caught it.
How clever of you!

🤫 Your giving away secrets.
 
He's a beautiful boy and they look so happy together. 🤗

I agree with your Mum about choosing more interesting names but I don't think I would have chosen Dirt. Mud maybe, but not Dirt.. 😁
That's a good name for your next hen. Maybe with 2 Ds.....

Mudd
 

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