Has anyone had this happen? Reproductive problem??

[Matzwd]

So, I just started a thread a couple of days ago because I suspected my Polish girl CJ might have vent gleet. However, some more knowledgeable members pointed out she had a prolapse. Well, turns out her prolapse was occurring because of egg binding, evident because she laid an egg off the roost during the night, and the prolapse was no longer present.

Now I am concerned again because she laid an egg today, and she stayed in the nest box picking at bedding and throwing it around, which is uncharacteristic for her. I chased her out because she needs to eat and drink after her prolapse ordeal. I had soaked her yesterday morning after finding the egg on the coop floor, just to be sure she was clean and intact, but she didn't quite have her appetite back yet and went to roost last night with only a slightly squishy crop. She is eating and drinking and perking up, but she definitely still needs nourishment, and I'm trying to get extra calcium into her. Anyhow, she keeps going back into the nest box like she still feels an egg coming. And, no, she is not a screeching pancake.

I am also concerned because her eggs of late have a really fat "band" in the middle that seems like it could be the reason she was eggbound in the first place. The first time an egg looked like this, I researched and learned it was likely a body-checked egg, but now they all look like this. She used to lay narrower, pointed eggs. See photos of today's egg below. Is this the beginning of an ongoing reproductive issue?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I guess I don't understand, a prolapse remains prolapsed until you put it back in, so if you didn't see it then I don't think it can be called a prolapse.

I have hens that routinely lay body check eggs without any other problems. Is this a new layer?

Some hens don't always know when the egg is coming and may go in and out out of the nestboxes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

After reading your other thread it does look like a slight prolapse. Polish lay big eggs for their body size. I don't know if you can do much but keep an eye on her.

 

[Matzwd]

Is this a new layer?

She is a year and a half, has been laying for a year, but her eggs (size and shape) have progressively changed over this summer. I am worried because I started with eight girls (all March 2018 chicks) last year, and she is the last one from my original flock. The others have all died from various things (EYP, sudden blue comb and death, failure to thrive, fox, all different circumstances). I have more that I got this spring, but that was a discouraging first year.

After reading your other thread it does look like a slight prolapse.

Yes, and it reduced on its own after the egg came out. The egg was huge. I didn't get a pic of it because I accidentally broje it when drying it after washing.

Polish lay big eggs for their body size. I don't know if you can do much but keep an eye on her.

Yes, I guess so. I have read that reducing protein can help. They are on 18% all flock (I also have a couple of gamier breeds). Go to 16% maybe?

Some hens don't always know when the egg is coming and may go in and out out of the nestboxes.

She had already laid the egg. I shooed her from the nest box twice this afternoon because she was canping out there. The second time she didnt return again and went about being a normal chicken.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I feed an 18% ration, but I also throw out some scratch daily. I don't think the feed is the problem.

If you caught that photo immediately after the egg came out than that can be normal as the cloaca slightly inverts when the egg is laid, before being sucked back in. It's to keep feces off the eggs.

Egg size is genetic. As hens mature they tend to lay larger eggs, but less of them. My polish are still very productive at 4 years of age.

This time of year many hens are starting to shut down to molt, so oddities are more likely at this time.

Unfortunately that's the nature of keeping chickens. Some live longer than others. I've had my fair share of loses this year. Some years are better than others. It can be frustrating at times.

 

[Matzwd]

f you caught that photo immediately after the egg came out than that can be normal as the cloaca slightly inverts when the egg is laid, before being sucked back in. It's to keep feces off the eggs.

I'm not sure which photo you mean, the prolapse photo?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm not sure which photo you mean, the prolapse photo?

Sorry, yes the one from your other thread about her. I should have specified.

 

[Matzwd]

Sorry, yes the one from your other thread about her. I should have specified.

No, she had not laid an egg in a couple of days when that photo was taken, but she was acting like she was trying to. Her vent looked like it is in the photo for pretty much the entire day. Then, after she dropped the egg from the roost that night, her vent looked like everything was fine when I saw her the following morning.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

No, she had not laid an egg in a couple of days when that photo was taken, but she was acting like she was trying to. Her vent looked like it is in the photo for pretty much the entire day. Then, after she dropped the egg from the roost that night, her vent looked like everything was fine when I saw her the following morning.

That is a bit strange. I'm glad she laid the egg eventually and everything returned to normal for the most part. The few times I had a prolapse in a hen it didn't turn out well.

I don't think reducing the protein content of your feed will affect egg size. It may affect how often she lays. Do you feed any fatty treats like sunflower seeds? Internal fat can lead to a prolapse I learned the hard way.

 

[Matzwd]

Do you feed any fatty treats like sunflower seeds? Internal fat can lead to a prolapse I learned the hard way.

Not on any kind of regular basis. I give a little scratch a couple of times a week and meal worms a couple of times a week. I save the BOSS for winter mostly. CJ in particular is not overweight at all.