Misshapen Eggs - Paper Mache

[arast]

I have one hen that lays eggs that look like paper mache projects. Should I be worried about her? What causes it?

 

[DobieLover]

I have one hen that lays eggs that look like paper mache projects. Should I be worried about her? What causes it?

That is typical of a hen that has at some point been infected with infection bronchitis. Was she ever sick when you owned her?

 

[CHlCKEN]

That is typical of a hen that has at some point been infected with infection bronchitis. Was she ever sick when you owned her?

I agree with this.

 

[arast]

That is typical of a hen that has at some point been infected with infection bronchitis. Was she ever sick when you owned her?

I got her at 1 day old and if she has ever been sick it wasn’t obvious. What I have noticed with her, though, is that she gets a lot of poop stuck on her butt and I have to clean it every couple of months. It is like concrete and I the think that if I didn’t clean it, it would never come off. The skin underneath always looks healthy. Other than that she seems healthy and content. On occasion one or two of them will sneeze but that’s about the extent of it. Any correlation or did I just give you TMI?

 

[aart]

Respiratory issues/symptoms can be very mild,
and they can carry the disease with no symptoms.

Wonky shell glands are not always caused by respiratory illness.

I'd look into the poop problem.
Does she have loose poops that are sticking and building up?
Or does she just have a really fluffy butt?
Trimming the feather back there might be a good idea to keep it from happening during fly season, you don't want fly strike happening.

 

[arast]

Respiratory issues/symptoms can be very mild,
and they can carry the disease with no symptoms.

Wonky shell glands are not always caused by respiratory illness.

I'd look into the poop problem.
Does she have loose poops that are sticking and building up?
Or does she just have a really fluffy butt?
Trimming the feather back there might be a good idea to keep it from happening during fly season, you don't want fly strike happening.

Thank you for the advice. She does have a really fluffy butt. I can tell which chicken she is from behind. I actually call her my big butt girl. Good advice about the flies- I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet

re: the eggs, I guess I may just never know. Despite their funky appearance they taste just fine, and in a bowl with other eggs I can’t tell the difference.

 

[aart]

Thank you for the advice. She does have a really fluffy butt. I can tell which chicken she is from behind. I actually call her my big butt girl. Good advice about the flies- I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet

Next time she has a dingleberry, cut those feathers off about 1/2" from the skin.
Repeat as necessary.

 

[arast]

Next time she has a dingleberry, cut those feathers off about 1/2" from the skin.
Repeat as necessary.

. Will do! Thank you! I suppose having less beautiful butt plumage is a small price to pay for not carrying around heavy ball o’poo and attracting flies.

 

[rosemarythyme]

. Will do! Thank you! I suppose having less beautiful butt plumage is a small price to pay for not carrying around heavy ball o’poo and attracting flies.

If she's fluffy enough, you'll barely notice the difference after a trim. Just need to trim the feathers right under the vent, and maybe a bit of a path just under that.

 

[arast]

If she's fluffy enough, you'll barely notice the difference after a trim. Just need to trim the feathers right under the vent, and maybe a bit of a path just under that.

I’ll give it a go this weekend. She getting buildup again.