Having trouble laying? Updated: yellow mystery ick on egg?

[nikkichikki]

Hi everyone,

My Barnevelder, Natalie, just laid her first egg for me two days ago (first for me, but I bought her at ten months and the woman said she was already laying approx. 1 a day). Today when we got back from easter brunch I went into the run to give the girls some watermelon, and she was sitting on the nest panting like she was getting ready to lay an egg. I watched her for a while and we did easter eggs and stuff and I kept checking on her, but no egg. After an hour and 20 mins (could have been longer--she was already on the nest when we got home) she got up and left w/ no egg laid. She was panting and looked stressed. Could she be eggbound? Should I wait and see or should I go ahead and try to give her a warm bath? Could I just be paranoid? How long does it usually take them to lay an egg once they get on the nest? Last night I free-ranged them for the first time-- could that change in routine have thrown them off their groove?

Thanks,
Nikki

 

[chickened]

I have had hens that almost seem like watching them prolongs laying,
kind of like someone watching you pee.
Quote:

 

[nikkichikki]

Well I left for a few hours and when I came back, she had laid the egg. However, she laid it outside on the ground in the run, and it was sticky with what seemed like yellow egg yolk, but the egg wasn't cracked or anything. Other than the fact that it was on the ground, dirty, and sticky with mystery yellow ick, it was perfect. The yellow stuff really did seem like egg yolk! Any insight?

 

[chickened]

There was most likely another egg in the nest that was eaten or broken and when the hen was eating the broken one it may have knocked the other one out. Just a guess tho. It doesn't take much to disrupt a hens' routine that is for sure.

 

[nikkichikki]

Yeah, the egg was in the run so I don't think that was it. Is there anything else it could be? Is it possible that produced two yolks and only one of them made it in the shell & then they ate the one that was not in a shell?

 

[chickened]

The hen may have laid a soft shell along with the hard shell I have seen that happen.