MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

The fetus is formed in the Infundibulum. It lloks a bit like a cauliflower head. Each head a potential fetus. One by one these 'heads' drop off and travel to the Magnum where the white is formed around the fetus.
There is a sharp bend after the Magnum and this is often where misfires end up cooking.
After this the membrane is formed in the Isthmus. Once the membrane is formed which helps hold the fetus and white together, generally the egg will make it's way to the Uterus where the shell is put on. This can be the next problem stage. Bumps and other imperfections in the shell can make the journey to the vent and out difficult. Eggs are laid wet and if they don't get lubricated properly they can and do stick. That is eggbinding. Everything before an egg with a formed shell is another problem.

So cool...

 

[MaryJanet]

The fetus is formed in the Infundibulum. It lloks a bit like a cauliflower head. Each head a potential fetus. One by one these 'heads' drop off and travel to the Magnum where the white is formed around the fetus.
There is a sharp bend after the Magnum and this is often where misfires end up cooking.
After this the membrane is formed in the Isthmus. Once the membrane is formed which helps hold the fetus and white together, generally the egg will make it's way to the Uterus where the shell is put on. This can be the next problem stage. Bumps and other imperfections in the shell can make the journey to the vent and out difficult. Eggs are laid wet and if they don't get lubricated properly they can and do stick. That is eggbinding. Everything before an egg with a formed shell is another problem.

Actually it's so complex I'm surprised things don't go wrong more often.

 

[Shadrach]

Actually it's so complex I'm surprised things don't go wrong more often.

Well, out here the problem of misfires is often attributed to the use of antibiotics. It's yet one more reason I'm against the indiscriminate use of and advise for their use.
Stress is another often quoted reason for such complaints here. Some keepers here for example will not try to introduce new birds to a flock while the existing flock is laying. New arrivals are stressful for all concerned. If one considers how stressed out the keepers get when trying to integrate new flock members it's not hard to imagine the stress it places on the chickens.
Yet one more reason why here and with many experienced chicken enthusiasts choose closed flocks with brooding hens are preferred. It's a natural occurrence and the stress levels because it's expected and understood by the chickens is minimal.
None of the above are popular views here on BYC but that doesn't make them wrong.

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

MJ, I agree with Shad, but in the meantime, read up on a Lash Egg... I think that is what you have there. No need to panic, lots of folks see one and never see another.

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening everyone

 

[BY Bob]

The day's news

Ivy inspected the nest box for the fourth time, then she escaped (naughty) and put herself back when she saw me coming (nice).

Peggy and Janet each laid an egg.

Sandy sat on Janet's egg for half an hour. Broody? How could that be when she's no longer laying?

Mary lost more hackles but she's got lots of fresh feathers coming through.

All the chooks ate some rather tired grapes and some bits of crust from my toast as well as their usual foraging, mixed grain, and pellets.

Blossom spent most of the day napping and avoiding the noise of the big digger next door.

The weather is warm but not hot.

Sounds like a wonderful chicky day.

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks mate! Much appreciated. Will do.

She was on antibiotics for a week in October (if I recall correctly) but she hasn't had an implant and nor did she have a hysterectomy in the end. Instead, she's been gradually improving over time with fewer and fewer days of soreness.

I'm not sure how the tiny eggs incubated though, because there's no rooster. Can unfertilised eggs cook inside like that?

Her own body heat does that.

 

[MaryJanet]

Well, out here the problem of misfires is often attributed to the use of antibiotics. It's yet one more reason I'm against the indiscriminate use of and advise for their use.
Stress is another often quoted reason for such complaints here. Some keepers here for example will not try to introduce new birds to a flock while the existing flock is laying. New arrivals are stressful for all concerned. If one considers how stressed out the keepers get when trying to integrate new flock members it's not hard to imagine the stress it places on the chickens.
Yet one more reason why here and with many experienced chicken enthusiasts choose closed flocks with brooding hens are preferred. It's a natural occurrence and the stress levels because it's expected and understood by the chickens is minimal.
None of the above are popular views here on BYC but that doesn't make them wrong.

To be fair to Dr Hill the avian specialist, she was sick before he gave prescribed antibiotics. Although I'm not surprised to learn of anecdotal evidence attributing reproductive problems in chickens to antibiotics.

I must admit, I've always known stress disripts laying.

In Sandy's case the pullets arrived in January, months after she became unwell.

Perhaps the stress of being last in the pecking order caused her issues.

 

[Shadrach]

To be fair to Dr Hill the avian specialist, she was sick before he gave prescribed antibiotics. Although I'm not surprised to learn of anecdotal evidence attributing reproductive problems in chickens to antibiotics.

I must admit, I've always known stress disripts laying.

In Sandy's case the pullets arrived in January, months after she became unwell.

Perhaps the stress of being last in the pecking order caused her issues.

Oh, don't get me wrong, antibiotics can be a life saver in many cases.
I'm not for a moment suggesting that any of the above applies to your chickens.
It's just interesting to make a comparison, for me anyway, in the different keeping methods and attitudes. Sick hens get killed here. Nobody I know takes a sick hen to the vet. Injured hens that are kept by enthusiasts are very well cared for from what I can gather and some do get given antibiotics, but they have a similar arrangement with livestock, or Park vets that I have with Gloria now. I can ring and ask for a prescription without taking the bird to her.

 

[Ribh]

The day's news

Ivy inspected the nest box for the fourth time, then she escaped (naughty) and put herself back when she saw me coming (nice).

Peggy and Janet each laid an egg.

Sandy sat on Janet's egg for half an hour. Broody? How could that be when she's no longer laying?

Mary lost more hackles but she's got lots of fresh feathers coming through.

All the chooks ate some rather tired grapes and some bits of crust from my toast as well as their usual foraging, mixed grain, and pellets.

Blossom spent most of the day napping and avoiding the noise of the big digger next door.

The weather is warm but not hot.

What a lovely day!