Leghorn with GIANT poops, no eggs...and not hanging out in the next box???

[lilredracr]

I have a brown leghorn who is 26 weeks old. She laid her first egg at 23 weeks and it was perfect, small but perfect. Next egg 2 days later was bloody, in the realm of normal. Heat wave then hit... 100+ degree days and humid. Basically miserable. 2 days later, her 3rd egg is a rubber egg that is normal inside, but next to the egg appears to be like 2-3 eraser head sized rubber eggs in a rubbery trail. Weird. Then, no eggs for over a week.... I think, shoot she is egg bound. Last Friday at week 25, she gets a 20 min Epsom salt bath, liquid calcium dose, and an exam - I feel no egg or shells. She poops a giant poop. I think whew, maybe she was backed up from the heat and now we'll be up and running. Nope. Still 1 week later and NO EGGS but still these GIANT POOPS! I mean GIANT about 3 per day. She is not hanging out in the nest box at all and otherwise seems mostly normal. I noticed a pale comb and wattles yesterday, but 15 min later it was back to normal. Still no eggs after 3 weeks since we had 3 in a row pretty regularly every other day. What gives???

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Not sure what to tell you. She is a young hen, so it does take time for them to lay well. The heat would have interrupted her cycle, and we are now getting to later in the season, though she should lay through the first winter. However, if she got interrupted, and the daylight is getting shorter, her pituitary may not be getting enough daylight to trigger her to lay.

I would check her poo for worms to see if maybe that's why she is pooping so much. A worm build up is not as common in younger layers as older, but if your environment is right, it could happen.

I had some Cream Legbars that had had a low grade coccidiosis infection (once I finally figured it out). They constantly pooed pale, large, copious amounts. As I had them in with some younger chicks, I noticed that every time I put them on medicated feed they improved. Take them off, they were back to large poo and looking thin.

You also might try fermenting her feed or giving her some probiotics. Apple cider vinegar in water (raw with mother, plastic containers only) may help rebalance her gut too.

And watch her. If you see any more thick, cheesy looking material, that could be a lash egg which is a sign of internal infection. Continue to check her vent and abdomen to make sure she isn't egg bound or harboring fluid build up or something.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[lilredracr]

Not sure what to tell you. She is a young hen, so it does take time for them to lay well. The heat would have interrupted her cycle, and we are now getting to later in the season, though she should lay through the first winter. However, if she got interrupted, and the daylight is getting shorter, her pituitary may not be getting enough daylight to trigger her to lay.

I would check her poo for worms to see if maybe that's why she is pooping so much. A worm build up is not as common in younger layers as older, but if your environment is right, it could happen.

I had some Cream Legbars that had had a low grade coccidiosis infection (once I finally figured it out). They constantly pooed pale, large, copious amounts. As I had them in with some younger chicks, I noticed that every time I put them on medicated feed they improved. Take them off, they were back to large poo and looking thin.

You also might try fermenting her feed or giving her some probiotics. Apple cider vinegar in water (raw with mother, plastic containers only) may help rebalance her gut too.

And watch her. If you see any more thick, cheesy looking material, that could be a lash egg which is a sign of internal infection. Continue to check her vent and abdomen to make sure she isn't egg bound or harboring fluid build up or something.

My thoughts.
LofMc

Thank you so much - I am going to start the fermented feed and ACV. I laid off the ACV because it seemed to deter them from their water and were always drinking out of puddles from me washing down the patio. But they probably just need to get used to it.