New to this. Please help!!

[chicken11602]

Hey everyone! I'm new to having chickens and I have a few questions. I have three RIRs that were hatched this spring. They have all started laying and where getting pretty good at it until early this week. I went into the coop to gather the three eggs but there was only two in the nesting box. When I went in today there where two eggs and half a dried up egg shell. I don't know if she stopped to molt or if she needs special food. I have a lamp in the coop since the days are getting shorter. Please help!!!

 

[mrsc1951]

I'm certainly no expert but no chicken can lay every day. I've had squirrels get into my coop and leave what you described. Could that be the case? Or could one of your girls developed a taste for eggs?

 

[chicken11602]

She hasn't laid in a week! I haven't seen any squirrels where I live but I'm not sure

 

[HeatherLynn]

Ok I agree that most chickens do not lay every day so your girls have done wonderfully. Losing any feathers? Possible moult? Also that picture you showed does not look like something ate the egg unless its a snake. So snake or maybe egg bound and passing a broken egg? Is she acting funny at all?

 

[chicken11602]

No, she is acting normal. I see a feather here and there but I don't think she is molting. If I had a light on would that affect her moult???

 

[cafarmgirl]

She hasn't laid in a week! I haven't seen any squirrels where I live but I'm not sure

I would suspect there is definitely something going on with the hen that laid that egg. If it was just thin shells or some deficiency the egg should look like normal, raw egg, not that cooked appearance.

 

[chicken11602]

So what should I do?????

 

[cafarmgirl]

I'm not sure there is much you can do, but hopefully someone else may make some suggestions. When laying hens develop problems with the reproductive tract/egg laying issues there's often not much we can do to help them. One thing I would do is stop the supplemental lighting. First year hens most often lay right on through their first winter anyway but I don't think I'd be wanting to push this bird to lay any more then her body would normally do anyway. If she shuts down for the winter it would probably be for the best.

If you have access to an avian/exotic's vet they may be able to help but that usually involves a lot of $$ pretty quickly and often the outcomes are the same.

But again, someone else may have some more helpful advice.

 

[Suzie]

Try giving her some calcium Vitamin D3...do you give your hens any oyster shell ? You can feed them crushed egg shells as a supplement...she may be calcium deficient..you can give her "tums" if you are in the USA

 

[chicken11602]

Ok, thanks for the Imput