Help! Chicken trying to lay for over an hour! Vent may be starting to prolapse!?

[Chicalina]

You can also buy limestone flour in large quantities at the feed store (usually in the equine section) or on amazon, which is powdered calcium to sprinkle onto their food. Or feed layer pellets.

Sadly this problem can happen in older hens as they come to the end of their reproductive years.

 

[Eggcessive]

I tried sratch and peck layer feed, and my hens would not eat it. It is probably better to feed a balanced layer crumble or pellet feed where they cannot pick out their favorite bits. The layer feed would contain plenty of calcium, but it helps to have oyster shell or egg shells in a separate container. If she gets egg bound again try the calcium. The material around her vent in the picture looks a bit yellow, possibly yellow urates, which can be a sign of reproductive issues or ascites.

 

[amyduck]

I tried sratch and peck layer feed, and my hens would not eat it. It is probably better to feed a balanced layer crumble or pellet feed where they cannot pick out their favorite bits. The layer feed would contain plenty of calcium, but it helps to have oyster shell or egg shells in a separate container. If she gets egg bound again try the calcium. The material around her vent in the picture looks a bit yellow, possibly yellow urates, which can be a sign of reproductive issues or ascites.

Yes, Penny starts by eating her favorite bits for sure!! But she doesn't eat with Blondie, so I've been dealing with that by not putting out too much feed each day, and not adding more until she's just about finished everything that's there - so I think that should be working... but I will add calcium. As for the urates, I went back to check on her roost and what's on the paper towels is definitely white and her droppings are fine too... so I'm hoping it was just the flash, but will keep an eye on her... unfortunately, I've had that problem with a few other chickens. Thanks!

 

[amyduck]

Okay everybody... update on Penny. When I first wrote this I was worried she might be starting to prolapse or that she might be egg bound. She finally passed an egg and that was on June 5th. Her vent seemed just fine after that, and I've continued to supplement with calcium since then. I noted on my calendar that she laid again on the 7th and the 11th, although the 11th was a pretty thin shell. Unfortunately, she hasn't laid since then.

Then probably around the 17th she started sitting in the nest box all day long and even slept in it a couple of nights, but nothing was happening. Finally, one night I gave her an epsom salt bath and cleaned up her runny rear feathers, and she seemed to be feeling a little better. She went to roost and when I checked on her before going to bed I saw that she was passing a shell-less egg. I gave it a slow steady pull until she passed it.

Since then, Penny has been like a young chicken, she's been clucking contentedly *a lot*, running in the yard etc. She seems to be doing really well!

*Except* She isn't eating a lot and has lost weight and her poops are regular but TINY.

She was a pretty heavy chicken so that could be why she's running around so much. (She'd already lost some weight after I changed their diet because I lost one to Fatty Liver disease.)

So I'm worried about her and I feel like any day now she's going to go down hill suddenly.

Any thoughts?

I've had a chicken with ascites, and I may be wrong, but I don't think she has it.
I can post a photo of her overnight poops tomorrow.

Thanks!

 

[Chicalina]

Is she getting enough food if the other hen hogs it?

What colour is her comb?

Have you wormed and deloused her recently? A parasite load can tip a slightly unwell hen into real sickness.

The weight loss worries me. She may have a tumour or something internal and be on her way out.

I'd give her chicken vitamins and supplement her food with high protein nutrition daily (separated for that). Work on her overall condition because that is probably all you can do.

 

[amyduck]

Is she getting enough food if the other hen hogs it?

-The other chicken is lame so it's not that.

What colour is her comb?

not a red as my other hen, but pretty good.

Have you wormed and deloused her recently?

Yes

The weight loss worries me. She may have a tumour or something internal and be on her way out.

Yes... me too!

I'd give her chicken vitamins and supplement her food with high protein nutrition daily (separated for that). Work on her overall condition because that is probably all you can do.

Thanks for the reminder about increasing her protein...
crossing my fingers...

 

[Chicalina]

-The other chicken is lame so it's not that.

not a red as my other hen, but pretty good.

Yes

Yes... me too!

Thanks for the reminder about increasing her protein...
crossing my fingers...

I hope she has a few more years in her, but you can only do the best you can do.