Lethargic, diarrhea then shell-less egg

Sunshade82

Songster
Sep 10, 2020
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132
136
SW Utah
This morning one of my 10 month old pullets was acting lethargic with her tail down and had diarrhea. (We lost our first chicken suddenly last week so I was worried it was connected.)
For a while now, she has been laying her egg off the roost before the sun comes up and today there was no egg. I wondered if she was egg bound?
I brought her in and gave her an epsom salt bath. While I was blow drying her off she had a normal poop and laid this egg with no shell or membrane (idk if poop or egg came first)
She seems more perky and alert and is talking but also hasn’t walked around at all. She preened a bit then got tired and closed her eyes. I tried to give her electrolyte water but she wouldn’t drink. We scrambled her an egg and she gobbled it up.
Is there something else I need to do? Do you think this weird egg was the problem?
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Don't bathe her again.

What exactly do you feed your flock?

Before the last bird died did you notice anything different/strange/off?

And... When was the last time you brought a new to you bird home?
 
She just had watery poop followed by a cecal one 🤮
Don't bathe her again.

What exactly do you feed your flock?

Before the last bird died did you notice anything different/strange/off?

And... When was the last time you brought a new to you bird home?
This is my original flock. No new birds.
i feed them a layer crumble from Cal Ranch with an occasional treat like scrambled egg, scratch or leftover salad stuff.
Our other bird was always a little different...quiet, subdued and hadnt started laying yet although she was spending a lot of time in the nesting box. For two days the other birds were picking on her then she keeled over suddenly after 15 seconds of violent flapping and squawking. (We thought a heart problem?)
Also we went from very mild temps to 90 degrees. The chickens have been drinking extra water and have misters
 
Sounds like this current bird may not be eating well.
Can you wet some of the layer crumble (1/2 cup) and mix a tiny bit (spoon full)of tuna fish in it to see if she will eat that.
Stop feeding all the treats for now.
Feeding treats takes away from them getting a balanced diet and feeding too many treats (which is more than a spoonful size a day) will may the overweight which will cause laying problems that usually don't end well.
 
We went back outside and she immediately sunbathed for a bit and now she’s running around like nothing happened. Do you think the excess water due to high temps could’ve been a problem? Should I give her some extra calcium?
 

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Sounds like this current bird may not be eating well.
Can you wet some of the layer crumble (1/2 cup) and mix a tiny bit (spoon full)of tuna fish in it to see if she will eat that.
Stop feeding all the treats for now.
Feeding treats takes away from them getting a balanced diet and feeding too many treats (which is more than a spoonful size a day) will may the overweight which will cause laying problems that usually don't end well.
She normally eats well...I’ll cut all treats for a bit.
Should I give her some extra calcium?
 
We went back outside and she immediately sunbathed for a bit and now she’s running around like nothing happened. Do you think the excess water due to high temps could’ve been a problem? Should I give her some extra calcium?
No the water is not the problem...the shell less egg was.
Stop all treats and give her a balanced diet.

You can try offering some oyster shell on the side.
 
No the water is not the problem...the shell less egg was.
Stop all treats and give her a balanced diet.

You can try offering some oyster shell on the side.
90% of their diet is layer feed that’s available all the time but I will cut the treats.
With the water I meant can consuming more of it with the sudden high temps cause issues like diarrhea and a shell less egg?
 
I just found this egg in the coop. I missed it earlier. So my girl laid this egg with a bumpy white circle sometime this morning then a shell less egg when I brought her inside.
Oh and now she’s in the nesting box 🤷🏻‍♀️
 

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