Hen with possible (??) egg laying problem. Help!

[veganloraine]

I have a 2 year old ex-battery hen. She is, I believe, a White Leghorn. We've had her for a year. She is a free running hen and is fed a high quality feed, food scraps, and whatever bugs and plants she enjoys from the gardens. For the last month her eggs have had thinner and thinner shells. Yesterday there was a broken, shell-less egg in her nest box and she was laying in another box and looking uncomfortable. I believe she had been sitting in that box for several hours as I did not see her earlier when I threw out scrapes. Because of the extreme heat wave she's had some runny stools and the flies were pestering her. We again cleaned her bottom well and kept her indoors over night. This morning she looked perkier so we put her back with our three other hens. I just noticed her back in the nesting box. We've felt her all over yesterday and this morning and there doesn't appear to be any swelling or hardness. Her tail is up. Any advice?? Culling is not something we are willing to consider, please do not suggest it as an option.

 

[Chick Charm]

Several things to consider. Thin shelled eggs can be caused by STRESS, HEAT OR TEMPERATURE CHANGE, along with other things. Stress and Heat are major contributors. So I would not be taking her back and forth from inside to outside. It's hard on a chicken to deal with the temperature changes.

Also consider the hens age. If you have had her for a year, the ex battery is likely more than 3 years old not 2. The most productive year in a laying hen is year 2 not year one. So the likelyhood that the farm got her of her before her prime is unlikely. Older hens tend to have more issues with thin or no shells.


Hope this helps. Wish ya the best.

 

[veganloraine]

Their lives are pretty stress-free in that they can run around wherever the like with access to cool, muddy shade or sunny grass, as well as good soil to dust in. They eat what they like and no changes have been made to their routines or living conditions. However, it went from being really cold to really hot in a relatively short time. Thank you so much for the change in temperatures advice. I will stop bring her indoors and out. I did ask the farmer how old the hens were and he said 12 to 14 months, which seemed really young to me too. Perhaps she is older. The other hens have almost completely stopped laying. We did feed them back their own eggs, including the shells. Do you think part of the shelled egg is still inside her and she's having problems getting it out? She's still in the nesting box.

 

[veganloraine]

I just went out and she's laid a proper egg!! She's up and eating too! So happy!!!!! That was really scary.

 

[Chick Charm]

I would guess the change weather is causing an issue with the hens. I think you got really good hens at 12-14 months old. Can't beat that. Usually the hens adjust after the weather stabilizes. Stuff happens that we just can't control all the time.

Wish ya the best.