Not sure if egg bound?!?

[4clucksfromcrazy]

i am a new chicken owner and have 4 hens. We got them as chicks back in April and everything has been going great. I have one barred rock who has never layed an egg but I understood some took longer than others. Well it is getting cold here in Colorado so the other 3 hens have slowed down a ton but my BR is now walking funny like her hip is giving out. I am afraid to soak her as it is getting cold. What should I do?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Doesn't sound like egg binding. That would be more of a penguin stance and tail pumping. But sometimes things do present differently in different birds. Egg biding is deadly within 48 hours usually.

How long has this behavior taken place? Is she eating/drinking/pooping? Have you looked for an injury?

Just as info... when we do bathe our birds for whatever reason, we use the blow dryer to fluff them back up.

ETA: it's the diminished daylight that slows down laying and not the temperature.

 

[4clucksfromcrazy]

Thank you for the warm welcome. Her name is Peep and she just started walking strange yesterday. She is about 7 months old never had laid an egg. I noticed last week that she had a bald spot by her wing but she is already getting new feathers back in that spot. She is not getting picked on and eating and drinking well. I looked her over and I don't see and injuries but she walks like she is drunk. Does not appear to be in any pain

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you for the warm welcome. Her name is Peep and she just started walking strange yesterday. She is about 7 months old never had laid an egg. I noticed last week that she had a bald spot by her wing but she is already getting new feathers back in that spot. She is not getting picked on and eating and drinking well. I looked her over and I don't see and injuries but she walks like she is drunk. Does not appear to be in any pain

The not laying eggs doesn't concern me at this point... If it were binding the poo would not be passing normally. It would end up being mostly liquid that passes with a diminished appetite because nothing is passing.

I would be more worried about something like Marek's.

Anyways here is a symptom checker tool, that while not perfect/exact can at least help you narrow down the possibilities...
http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms

Bald spots don't just happen. And for it to be growing back in already would mean the feather was completely pulled out or maybe part of a mini molt. There may be more pecking order stuff going on than meets the eye. It get's especially bad at roost time. But on top of that, the girls who aren't laying yet (or as hormonal) are often the ones who get the brunt of the pecking.

Whatever she does have going on, she will do her very best to hide it because chickens are prey animals and as such can not appear to be weaker or an easy target. Sometimes when the flock senses something off, they will even eliminate the threat of illness or disease entering the flock by eliminating the ailing bird. So my point is it's probably worse than it appears.

 

[4clucksfromcrazy]

The not laying eggs doesn't concern me at this point... If it were binding the poo would not be passing normally. It would end up being mostly liquid that passes with a diminished appetite because nothing is passing.

I would be more worried about something like Marek's.

Anyways here is a symptom checker tool, that while not perfect/exact can at least help you narrow down the possibilities...
http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms

Bald spots don't just happen. And for it to be growing back in already would mean the feather was completely pulled out or maybe part of a mini molt. There may be more pecking order stuff going on than meets the eye. It get's especially bad at roost time. But on top of that, the girls who aren't laying yet (or as hormonal) are often the ones who get the brunt of the pecking.

Whatever she does have going on, she will do her very best to hide it because chickens are prey animals and as such can not appear to be weaker or an easy target. Sometimes when the flock senses something off, they will even eliminate the threat of illness or disease entering the flock by eliminating the ailing bird. So my point is it's probably worse than it appears.

Ty! I keep a good eye on them and I do know she is lower on the pecking order. I am hoping it is a mini molt because my NH red is also losing feathers.

She walks fine sometimes then it looks like she wobbles again.

They might be under some stress too. They just got a new coop.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Can you tell me how big is the coop/run that you have the 4 hens in? And what do you feed including treats and supplements? This is just standard diagnostic questions, no judgement here.. just help, hopefully!

During times of stress is sometimes when hidden illness will rear its' ugly head. Probably wouldn't hurt to offer vitamins and electrolytes or probiotics if you like. It may or may not help, but since there is a little stress... it might!

ETA: Sometimes a vitamin deficiency can cause these type of issues. Though feeding a formulated ration, it should not happen unless it's been diminished too much by treats, there is active worm infestation/heavy load, or some genetic reason for nutrients not absorbing, which I would expect to have appeared sooner. Things don't always go as we expect. So I am sharing the possibilities I know of with the experience I have. I am by NO means an expert, but do work very hard not to pass on incorrect info.

 

[4clucksfromcrazy]

They free rang all day in my back yard.
I feed them a purina pellet layer feed and oyster shell. They get scratch daily and I do give them corn and spinach often as treats.

Posted pics of the new coop

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They free rang all day in my back yard.
I feed them a purina pellet layer feed and oyster shell. They get scratch daily and I do give them corn and spinach often as treats.

Posted pics of the new coop

Your blue Heeler is cute. I have a red boy.

So your feed is mostly corn already and about 16% protein? Scratch is often 7-8% and doesn't have any added vitamins/minerals/other nutrients added making it on par with a bag of chips or candy bar, as well I think that's about where corn lies too. Is your spinach fresh or cooked? Your scratch daily and other treats should be not more than 10% of total daily intake. The ladies you mention are both dual purpose breeds and will do better with a little more protein (supporting link to follow). Studies have also shown better hatch rates and chick vitality when the parent stock were fed a "higher" protein diet (that means a few % not extreme anything beyond 28 would be considered detrimental to chickens), which to me says better nutrition in the eggs my family is eating. 16% is the minimum for light bodied layers like leg horn. And feathers are made of 90% protein and the amino acids it contains. This is one reason why many who show their birds feed higher protein, they claim fuller/shinier feathers. If protein is diminished beyond that 16% it could cause all kinds of issues like delayed or decreases production, feather eating and even cannibalism to name a few. I would skip the extra corn altogether, though I do like to let them peck at the cobs after we've enjoyed them. The link has one misprint that says 5-17% and should say 15-17...
http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/186894.pdf

With anything posted on here, you gotta do what YOU think is right and what makes sense for YOU. This is my opinion based on my research, experiences, and perspective. I feed 20% flock raiser with oyster shell on the side and access to good pasture (meaning a variety of plants and bugs). All of my birds are dual purpose. Plus I have chicks, layers, molters, broody's, rooster and some of them don't need the extra calcium inside layer and it's easier to feed the whole flock one feed.

How many roosts in the coop? How far apart are they? Is your yard gonna stay green through winter?

Some high protein treats are meal worms, scrambled egg, any cooked chicken/beef/turkey/peas/beans... that kind of stuff. Chicken are omnivores. And I always set aside their shells and let them dry to avoid mold then crush a little and feed back in a separate dish. They really like it, saves you a little and it and in NO way does it cause egg eaters.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Oh, sorry all that still may not address your original issue.

 

[4clucksfromcrazy]

Your blue Heeler is cute. I have a red boy.

So your feed is mostly corn already and about 16% protein? Scratch is often 7-8% and doesn't have any added vitamins/minerals/other nutrients added making it on par with a bag of chips or candy bar, as well I think that's about where corn lies too. Is your spinach fresh or cooked? Your scratch daily and other treats should be not more than 10% of total daily intake. The ladies you mention are both dual purpose breeds and will do better with a little more protein (supporting link to follow). Studies have also shown better hatch rates and chick vitality when the parent stock were fed a "higher" protein diet (that means a few % not extreme anything beyond 28 would be considered detrimental to chickens), which to me says better nutrition in the eggs my family is eating. 16% is the minimum for light bodied layers like leg horn. And feathers are made of 90% protein and the amino acids it contains. This is one reason why many who show their birds feed higher protein, they claim fuller/shinier feathers. If protein is diminished beyond that 16% it could cause all kinds of issues like delayed or decreases production, feather eating and even cannibalism to name a few. I would skip the extra corn altogether, though I do like to let them peck at the cobs after we've enjoyed them. The link has one misprint that says 5-17% and should say 15-17...
http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/186894.pdf

With anything posted on here, you gotta do what YOU think is right and what makes sense for YOU. This is my opinion based on my research, experiences, and perspective. I feed 20% flock raiser with oyster shell on the side and access to good pasture (meaning a variety of plants and bugs). All of my birds are dual purpose. Plus I have chicks, layers, molters, broody's, rooster and some of them don't need the extra calcium inside layer and it's easier to feed the whole flock one feed.

How many roosts in the coop? How far apart are they? Is your yard gonna stay green through winter?

Some high protein treats are meal worms, scrambled egg, any cooked chicken/beef/turkey/peas/beans... that kind of stuff. Chicken are omnivores. And I always set aside their shells and let them dry to avoid mold then crush a little and feed back in a separate dish. They really like it, saves you a little and it and in NO way does it cause egg eaters.

Thank you very much!
I need to pick up more feed anyhow so I will switch to a higher protein one and back off the treats