Hen laying soft eggs

[MadieS]

Looking to hopefully get some answers to a problem with one of my hens I've been trying to figure out for close to a month. I first noticed that she was starting to miss feathers on her back, wings and butt. I assumed it was just from the rooster but then it started to get pretty bad (just lots of missing fearhers, no broken skin) and the area around her cloaca was really red and inflamed so I really started investigating. Eventually I found her one day in the nesting box with a soft egg (like just the membrane) handing partially out of her cloaca and a puddle of yolk and white underneath her. I noticed the other chickens trying to peck it out of her so I put her in the barn to isolate her. I've had her in there for a few weeks now, feathers are growing back in and the area around her cloaca is slightly less irritated but she's still "laying" soft/broken eggs. She doesnt seem to be in any pain, is still acting normal but I can't figure out whats going on or how to solve it. She eats and drinks just fine and has had access to oyster shells the whole time. She's only about 2yrs old. Thanks for the advice!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Generally eggs without shells is from stress. It also can be from a calcium deficiency. Sounds like she was being pecked and plucked. What are you feeding your birds? And how big is the set up? I would be careful returning this hen to the flock, especially with her being completely removed. Most chickens will eat eggs laid without a shell. Since you saw them trying to peck it off her behind I would be really concerned.

Others will hopefully have some suggestions about upping her calcium intake. Do you keep oyster shells available free choice?

I also would try to find a way to get her back in the coop, but kept separately for her safety for a while. It might help to alleviate the stress and get her back to laying normal eggs.

 

[MadieS]

Generally eggs without shells is from stress. It also can be from a calcium deficiency. Sounds like she was being pecked and plucked. What are you feeding your birds? And how big is the set up? I would be careful returning this hen to the flock, especially with her being completely removed. Most chickens will eat eggs laid without a shell. Since you saw them trying to peck it off her behind I would be really concerned.

Others will hopefully have some suggestions about upping her calcium intake. Do you keep oyster shells available free choice?

I also would try to find a way to get her back in the coop, but kept separately for her safety for a while. It might help to alleviate the stress and get her back to laying normal eggs.

I feed them a non-gmo layer feed from a local feed supplier (attatched a pic) and I make sure all the chickens have free access to pyster shells all the time. I only have 10 chickens total and they're in a pretty large coop (could probably house 30+ birds comfortably).
The one thats having the problem is currently in a stall in my barn with another hen that go a wound that i removed so she wouldnt get picked on either. Those two dont seem to pick on each other and are growing back feathers quickly. They dont seem stressed being seperated and have access to outside as well.
I thought that once I had seperated the one laying soft eggs she might be able to heal up and stop laying soft eggs but it doesnt seem to have helped the problem much. Not sure if its calcium deficience or an infection at this point.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is she a higher production breed?