Low Energy After First Egg Normal? (18 Weeks)

[speckledegg728]

Today, my Speckled Sussex pullet, Pippa, has laid her first egg! It was so small (about the size of a golf ball), soft-shelled, and broken open a little by the time I got out to the coop to discover it, but I was so amazingly proud. She's been shrieking nonstop for so long that I thought she'd never get on with it. When she went quiet this afternoon, I somehow knew that this would be the day. She came in from the coop yard, got herself a sip of water, climbed up in the nesting boxes, and settled down. Sure enough, upon returning later in the hour, her first little egg was among the pine flakes. She was guarding it and seemed unsure of me examining it.

Sorry for gushing, but I am so proud of that chicken!

Anyway, I was wondering if it was normal for pullets who have laid their first eggs or are new to the process of egg-laying to have low energy or be tired afterwards. Pippa has seemed a bit out of it ever since she did it. She's eating and drinking, but in a dazed, loopy sort of way. She seems sleepy and not at all like her normal loud, hyper persona. Just curious if it was something to worry about.

Thank you for any advice or tips.

 

[slkyldy4evr]

I don't exactly know but maybe she had a hard time laying the egg since it was her first. Maybe examine her vent to see if there's any swelling around it. Hope she feels better

 

[Teila]

Howdy speckledegg728

Congratulations to you and Pippa

Laying a soft shelled egg can be exhausting for a chicken. With the soft shells, because they are pliable, the hen’s muscles have a hard time gripping and pushing them so it can take them a bit longer to lay than a normal egg with additional straining etc.

Pullets new to laying can take a little time to get the plumbing right and can lay some unusual eggs at any time of the day.

The soft shells can break inside the chicken during the laying process. I note you said it was broken open a little, did it look like it was all there?

Do you have oyster shell available for your layers?

 

[speckledegg728]

Really? That makes sense.

Yes, it was all there! Broken open a little on the top, but I opened it into a bowl and all the good stuff was inside--yolk, whites, etc. It looked great.

I just picked some up around an hour ago to put in the coop, and all the girls think it's pretty good stuff.

 

[Teila]

Cool .. glad it was all there and yes, if they need the oyster shell they will peck into it.

Hopefully she is just a little exhausted and will be back to her usual self very soon.

 

[aart]

She's been shrieking nonstop for so long that I thought she'd never get on with it. .

This really hit my funny bone this morning

My pullets this year, 10 of them, made SO much noise near onset of lay...SMH.
Crazy Continuous Cacophony !!


True that the softies can make then act really weird.
Just keep observing, learning, and rejoicing.