CalBickieMomma
Crowing
Hello everyone!
I have a question about one of my RIRs. She’ll be 2 years old next month and she has yet to molt from last year. Right now, she’s a ragged mess (from when my big Buff Orpington roo was in with the flock). I removed him last March (2020) so I know she hasn’t molted since then. My other RIR was also late to molt (think she finally molted in January), but Eloise still looks awful.
Another thing is she’s been laying soft-shelled eggs, and in fact I had to bring her in tonight because she was acting ill and was lethargic. She seemed to be trying to get something out of her vent, so I gave her a warm epsom salt bath and she passed two eggs (one thin shelled and broken open, the other shrunken and wrinkled). She perked up a bit after passing the eggs, and I’ll check on her again before bed.
Anyway, other than the mild lethargy tonight, she always acts normal and active, even bossy with the other girls (so I haven’t really worried about her). But I’m wondering what her issue is - why hasn’t she molted and why is she laying soft eggs (and sometimes at night from the perch ...)?
Could it be some genetic thing? A deficiency (I can’t let them free range, but they have about 13 sq fr per chicken in their coop/run and I don’t give them lay pellets (I have a bantam roo in with them and have read the lay pellets can damage a roo’s liver)). They get a blend of All Flock, Feather Fixer (started mixing this in during late winter) and have also just started mixing in Game Bird crumble for a protein boost. They have access to oyster shell with dried, crushed chicken egg shells mixed in. I give them greens and fruit as often as I can and they get lots of attention from their Mama Chicken.
Has anyone else had this issue? I’ll include a few pictures of Eloise. In the group picture she’s the RIR on the bottom with the missing feathers.
Thanks!!
I have a question about one of my RIRs. She’ll be 2 years old next month and she has yet to molt from last year. Right now, she’s a ragged mess (from when my big Buff Orpington roo was in with the flock). I removed him last March (2020) so I know she hasn’t molted since then. My other RIR was also late to molt (think she finally molted in January), but Eloise still looks awful.
Another thing is she’s been laying soft-shelled eggs, and in fact I had to bring her in tonight because she was acting ill and was lethargic. She seemed to be trying to get something out of her vent, so I gave her a warm epsom salt bath and she passed two eggs (one thin shelled and broken open, the other shrunken and wrinkled). She perked up a bit after passing the eggs, and I’ll check on her again before bed.
Anyway, other than the mild lethargy tonight, she always acts normal and active, even bossy with the other girls (so I haven’t really worried about her). But I’m wondering what her issue is - why hasn’t she molted and why is she laying soft eggs (and sometimes at night from the perch ...)?
Could it be some genetic thing? A deficiency (I can’t let them free range, but they have about 13 sq fr per chicken in their coop/run and I don’t give them lay pellets (I have a bantam roo in with them and have read the lay pellets can damage a roo’s liver)). They get a blend of All Flock, Feather Fixer (started mixing this in during late winter) and have also just started mixing in Game Bird crumble for a protein boost. They have access to oyster shell with dried, crushed chicken egg shells mixed in. I give them greens and fruit as often as I can and they get lots of attention from their Mama Chicken.
Has anyone else had this issue? I’ll include a few pictures of Eloise. In the group picture she’s the RIR on the bottom with the missing feathers.
Thanks!!
.
):
. So now I can stop worrying about her not laying eggs. At least for a while 
