notherearenttoomany
Chirping
- Jun 11, 2020
- 56
- 52
- 76
Hello chicken experts!
I’ve been finding broken eggs in the laying boxes and a few out in the yard for a few weeks now. The egg always seemed normal, but the shell remains were very thin. I figured out it was my one year old Easter Egger hen, Tonks, when I found her carrying eggs out of the coop two days in a row. I separated her from the flock thinking I had an ”egg eater” problem but knowing shell quality was likely the cause of the issue. She always has access to clean water, layer pellets and Oyster shell. I also have given her soaked food with “Nutri—dense” added to water each day for a week now, and I give her a scrambled egg with crushed egg shell about every other day. While separated, she has laid 3 eggs that have broken, but she has not eaten them. So perhaps when she was caught removing eggs from the coop, she was trying to keep the nests clean? I don’t know if chickens do that, but either way, she’s not eating her eggs. My assumption was that I needed to add some things to her diet to help her shells to thicken up properly, then I’d release her back with the flock.
HOWEVER, over the weekend I noticed her bum has gotten messy. This morning, I noticed her cloaca is red, bloody and seems to be swollen—PICS ATTACHED. Clearly, I have a much larger issue. She has not laid an egg (unless she ate it, but I think I would have found some mess) for 2-3 days. She does eat and she looks/acts fine. She wants out with the flock desperately and tries to escape every time I open the door to feed her. She’s the wildest girl in my flock, so handling her is particularly difficult. She’s never been friendly and is extremely difficult to catch once she’s out.
My flock details: 1 rooster, 10 hens (all raised together) of mixed breed—barred rock, Easter egger, Australorp, Marans mix. One australorp gal is currently sitting on 5 fertilized eggs due to hatch next Saturday. The flock free ranges and forages all day on 2 acres of yard and in wooded areas. They put themselves in the coop each night and I close the door, but let them out in the mornings. All have continual access to layer pellets, grit (they never eat this), oyster shell (barely touch it), and multiple water sources.
I enjoy the chickens for eggs and pest control, and love having them around the yard. They all have names and are visited daily. BUT we will not use a vet for the chickens because of cost. I’ll make every attempt to care for and save the hen, but when one of my girls is beyond help, we cull her. I hope to save this girl because her wild ways benefit the entire flock and she’s been a great layer. Please advise what I can do to help her recover and live a long, healthy life.
I’ve been finding broken eggs in the laying boxes and a few out in the yard for a few weeks now. The egg always seemed normal, but the shell remains were very thin. I figured out it was my one year old Easter Egger hen, Tonks, when I found her carrying eggs out of the coop two days in a row. I separated her from the flock thinking I had an ”egg eater” problem but knowing shell quality was likely the cause of the issue. She always has access to clean water, layer pellets and Oyster shell. I also have given her soaked food with “Nutri—dense” added to water each day for a week now, and I give her a scrambled egg with crushed egg shell about every other day. While separated, she has laid 3 eggs that have broken, but she has not eaten them. So perhaps when she was caught removing eggs from the coop, she was trying to keep the nests clean? I don’t know if chickens do that, but either way, she’s not eating her eggs. My assumption was that I needed to add some things to her diet to help her shells to thicken up properly, then I’d release her back with the flock.
HOWEVER, over the weekend I noticed her bum has gotten messy. This morning, I noticed her cloaca is red, bloody and seems to be swollen—PICS ATTACHED. Clearly, I have a much larger issue. She has not laid an egg (unless she ate it, but I think I would have found some mess) for 2-3 days. She does eat and she looks/acts fine. She wants out with the flock desperately and tries to escape every time I open the door to feed her. She’s the wildest girl in my flock, so handling her is particularly difficult. She’s never been friendly and is extremely difficult to catch once she’s out.
My flock details: 1 rooster, 10 hens (all raised together) of mixed breed—barred rock, Easter egger, Australorp, Marans mix. One australorp gal is currently sitting on 5 fertilized eggs due to hatch next Saturday. The flock free ranges and forages all day on 2 acres of yard and in wooded areas. They put themselves in the coop each night and I close the door, but let them out in the mornings. All have continual access to layer pellets, grit (they never eat this), oyster shell (barely touch it), and multiple water sources.
I enjoy the chickens for eggs and pest control, and love having them around the yard. They all have names and are visited daily. BUT we will not use a vet for the chickens because of cost. I’ll make every attempt to care for and save the hen, but when one of my girls is beyond help, we cull her. I hope to save this girl because her wild ways benefit the entire flock and she’s been a great layer. Please advise what I can do to help her recover and live a long, healthy life.
