Long, seemingly painful laying, every egg she produces is huge

[ringmasternj]

All,

One of my hens out of six lays Goose egg sized eggs, every single laying. She nests longer and longer now to pass eggs, seemingly for hours. I'd think it was egg bound, but she will eventually pass the egg. She lays a double yoker every time. I think she misses a day from time to time, but we have many hands collecting eggs, so it is hard to tell. Fact is, every egg she lays is huge, and she doesn't seem happy when nesting. Just like the egg bound symptom, she's all fluffed up, and makes noise when I go to see her.

If she's going to lay such huge eggs every time, is there a way to encourage smaller eggs that are easier to pass? Is she fed too well (My hens are happy well fed ladies)? We use normal "egg layer crumbles" for food. They are about 8 months old, and been laying for only the last few.

Any ideas is appreciated.

 

[bantambury]

All,

One of my hens out of six lays Goose egg sized eggs, every single laying. She nests longer and longer now to pass eggs, seemingly for hours. I'd think it was egg bound, but she will eventually pass the egg. She lays a double yoker every time. I think she misses a day from time to time, but we have many hands collecting eggs, so it is hard to tell. Fact is, every egg she lays is huge, and she doesn't seem happy when nesting. Just like the egg bound symptom, she's all fluffed up, and makes noise when I go to see her.

If she's going to lay such huge eggs every time, is there a way to encourage smaller eggs that are easier to pass? Is she fed too well (My hens are happy well fed ladies)? We use normal "egg layer crumbles" for food. They are about 8 months old, and been laying for only the last few.

Any ideas is appreciated.

Normally broody mothers fluff up to seem more ferocious than they really are. the also make some strange noises, I think just because of being broody. it sounds like you have a broody mama. here is one of my old hens while she was hatching. she would always fluff up, which is the reason why we had called her Turkey.

I don't know why she would be laying big eggs, your hen. maybe after a wile she will begin to stop all that. sometimes they seem to have glitches though.

hope this helps!!! (and I hope your hens eggs get a bit smaller )

~Bantambury

 

[Fred's Hens]

If the hen you are speaking about is one of the Red Sex Links in your avatar it is pretty much their breeding. Most of the RSL are bred to be a hyper production, large brown egg layer. Perhaps this particular hen will ease up a bit as she matures, as is often the case. But the genetics at work here forces her and her flock mates to be prolific layers.

Unfortunately there is a down size, sometimes, to this penchant of laying large eggs. It can sometimes produce a tendency for reproductive issues and early burn out.

I had similar Red Sex Link, commercial type hens in the past and I never discovered a solution to their internal, genetic propensity. Don't really think there is much of a solution.

 

[ringmasternj]

Certainly puts me more at east. A: I think I posted in the wrong forum, noob mistake, but B: Thanks for the info. My wife and I are new to this, and I think we tend to over baby our ladies and worry about everything.

On the plus side, this means the ladies are very well cared for, and suffer no neglect. It seems I now know what "broody" actually looks like. The books I read talked about it, but I guess I had to see for myself. I just want the poor girl not to have to struggle passing such monsters! Poor girl!

Thanks!

-Ring

 

[ringmasternj]

If the hen you are speaking about is one of the Red Sex Links in your avatar it is pretty much their breeding. Most of the RSL are bred to be a hyper production, large brown egg layer. Perhaps this particular hen will ease up a bit as she matures, as is often the case. But the genetics at work here forces her and her flock mates to be prolific layers.

Unfortunately there is a down size, sometimes, to this penchant of laying large eggs. It can sometimes produce a tendency for reproductive issues and early burn out.

I had similar Red Sex Link, commercial type hens in the past and I never discovered a solution to their internal, genetic propensity. Don't really think there is much of a solution.

OK, that makes sense. We bought these birds as day old chicks because we knew they were pullets and not a straight run. We did not want roosters, as our neighbors are close enough to be annoyed by the noise. We did since learn they are early, and prolific layers.

This is our first flock, so we knee jerk to anything different, no matter how much I've read and studied in the books

 

[ronott1]

All,

One of my hens out of six lays Goose egg sized eggs, every single laying. She nests longer and longer now to pass eggs, seemingly for hours. I'd think it was egg bound, but she will eventually pass the egg. She lays a double yoker every time. I think she misses a day from time to time, but we have many hands collecting eggs, so it is hard to tell. Fact is, every egg she lays is huge, and she doesn't seem happy when nesting. Just like the egg bound symptom, she's all fluffed up, and makes noise when I go to see her.

If she's going to lay such huge eggs every time, is there a way to encourage smaller eggs that are easier to pass? Is she fed too well (My hens are happy well fed ladies)? We use normal "egg layer crumbles" for food. They are about 8 months old, and been laying for only the last few.

Any ideas is appreciated.

Certainly puts me more at east. A: I think I posted in the wrong forum, noob mistake, but B: Thanks for the info. My wife and I are new to this, and I think we tend to over baby our ladies and worry about everything.

On the plus side, this means the ladies are very well cared for, and suffer no neglect. It seems I now know what "broody" actually looks like. The books I read talked about it, but I guess I had to see for myself. I just want the poor girl not to have to struggle passing such monsters! Poor girl!

Thanks!

-Ring

Give them some black oil sunflower seeds. The oil helps them pass the eggs. Just toss out a couple of had fulls to them.