Help! Chicken laying bubble “egg” and squatting/ penguin stance

[coach723]

Those shell less eggs can be very hard to pass, there is nothing for the muscles to push against. That alone can make them feel very unwell. The calcium will also help with contractions. If you see evidence that one has ruptured inside her, passing runny yolk or whites, then that can be more concerning and lead to infection.

 

[Jbyrd212]

I just noticed in the picture she is standing with droopy wings, that means she really doesn't feel good. In the morning before she has access to food or water please feel her crop and make sure it is flat and empty. If it is not please let us know.

I didn’t receive this message in time to see. I will tomorrow morning. Yes, if need be, I will release her of her pain. I would just like to see if this is a calcium deficiency. She was a regular, every day layer. Then, this all began.

 

[Jbyrd212]

Those shell less eggs can be very hard to pass, there is nothing for the muscles to push against. That alone can make them feel very unwell. The calcium will also help with contractions. If you see evidence that one has ruptured inside her, passing runny yolk or whites, then that can be more concerning and lead to infection.

What sort of infection? So, if I’ve seen runny yolk in the bedding/shavings beneath their roost for the past week, this would indicate something alarming?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

What sort of infection? So, if I’ve seen runny yolk in the bedding/shavings beneath their roost for the past week, this would indicate something alarming?

It just may mean she's laid that shell-less egg in the nest and it broke. If she's young I would not be too hasty to cull her. I was getting 2 to 4 of these "jelly" eggs a day for a couple of weeks. Then I discovered I had a snake sharing quarters with my hens. I took care of it but another one showed up. Only after I got rid of that one did the shell-less eggs stop, so I attributed the problem entirely to stress. That may not be your problem at all. I'm just saying, it may be fixable.

 

[Jbyrd212]

Is oyster shell available 24/7? Give one calcium citrate + D3 tablet for five days. Available in vitamin/ supplement section of any grocery store. Easiest at night after birds have gone to roost. Wrap bird in a towel, gently pull down on wattles to open beak, pop it in beak and let her swallow. It's not too big, it's fine.

Don’t I have to drop it down the beak at an angle/ side of mouth as chickens can choke if put right down their throat?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Don't put it down her throat. Just pop it in the beak. She'll know what to do with it.

 

[Jbyrd212]

Don't put it down her throat. Just pop it in the beak. She'll know what to do with it.

Those things are horse pills for humans, let alone chickens. Wow! Got a 600 mg tablet (says serving size 1 tablet for 600 mg) and split it in two. Gave her both pieces. I will continue this for 4-6 more days.
I suspect hers might be stress, too. We’ve introduced 13-week-old chicks into the run (did the proper process of where they could see but not directly interact for 3+ weeks). It’s been ages since new flock members. And we lost a bird two days ago. She was unhappy and starving herself She was lowest in pecking order and none of them liked her. So, currently, the pecking order has to be re-established. She could be stressed AND mourning now.

 

[Jbyrd212]

Tablets made it worse

 

[Jbyrd212]

Tablets made it worse

Just gave her an epsom salt soak, put cortisone cream on the vent to reduce the bulging/swelling, and have her in a darker crate with shavings, food, and water.
I figured this may relax her? I’m seeking advice on what to do from here. Do I leave her in the dark crate for some hours and return her to the flock? Do I leave her overnight?
No egg or shell-less egg has been passed. Just fecal matter.
Thank you in advance.

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like she is prolapsed now. Keep the vent clean and apply an ointment or cream to the vent to keep it from drying out. A daily soak in warm water daily may help with healing. Repeat the calcium after 24 hours.