Hello all
Peggy is a nearly 6 year old Maran, who lays green eggs and until recently was laying periodically. She has intermittent soft shelled eggs - or at least paper-thin shelled that they are easily cracked unless handled with extreme care.
Last weekend, I found a lash egg in the nesting area, directly under her backside as she was perching. I know it was from her 100%. Then two days during this week, she has laid very small soft-shelled eggs, with almost a powder coating of shell on - but the egg is round and no bigger than the yolk (which it contains a normal sized yolk within it) but barely any egg white. (pictures below)
What I do not know is if this is the normal cycle a hen will reach as she gets too old to lay or if this is something more unpleasant like salpingitis.
What would you suggest? Should I be doing anything now to support her? I have lost a hen to salpingitis before but it was not quick - she laid multiple lash eggs. Peggy has, to our knowledge, only laid one.
When I went to put them to bed last night, she was in a nesting box, settled down for the night. That is unusual, however I carried her to the bedding area and she got onto a perch fine. This morning, like all mornings, she is full of beans and eating, scratching etc like she is on top of the world.
Thank you in advance.
Lash egg and small yolk-only soft eggs:
Peggy is a nearly 6 year old Maran, who lays green eggs and until recently was laying periodically. She has intermittent soft shelled eggs - or at least paper-thin shelled that they are easily cracked unless handled with extreme care.
Last weekend, I found a lash egg in the nesting area, directly under her backside as she was perching. I know it was from her 100%. Then two days during this week, she has laid very small soft-shelled eggs, with almost a powder coating of shell on - but the egg is round and no bigger than the yolk (which it contains a normal sized yolk within it) but barely any egg white. (pictures below)
What I do not know is if this is the normal cycle a hen will reach as she gets too old to lay or if this is something more unpleasant like salpingitis.
What would you suggest? Should I be doing anything now to support her? I have lost a hen to salpingitis before but it was not quick - she laid multiple lash eggs. Peggy has, to our knowledge, only laid one.
When I went to put them to bed last night, she was in a nesting box, settled down for the night. That is unusual, however I carried her to the bedding area and she got onto a perch fine. This morning, like all mornings, she is full of beans and eating, scratching etc like she is on top of the world.
Thank you in advance.
Lash egg and small yolk-only soft eggs:
