OK. My mind is totally blown! What is this!?!?

[New Chick In The Backyard]

The stop laying, start laying, because it's hot, is kind of normal. That smells like chicken thing, did one of them push out it's V jay jay ??

They will arrange the straw in the nesting box the way they want it, they get broody / moody sometimes and will redecorate... it's what wimmin do! Id not worry about it too much but with that make sure you dig down a bit in it, you can re distribute it if you want, to make sure there are no eggs buried you overlooked.

Aaron

Edit: that's not really a lot of hay to begin with, they are just trying to make some padding for their eggs to rest on I'd think.

I use very little hay in the coops because I clean them everyday or every other day it and saves a lot that could be wasted. I even clean with soap and sometimes bleach and of course let it air out and everything. I just like it to be clean. The nests are very padded.

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

Do you think Belina might only live for a little over a year?? How old does she look to you?

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

It might be its vent

What do you mean?

 

[Kiki]

Here are 2 more photos. I'm sorry the table its laying on looks gross. I'm so exhausted and thats the table someone just donated to me to do dust baths (hence the white powder) and food fill ups. I havent had a chance to clean it yet.

I will have to check them in the morning because they are all in their coops and it just got dark outside. I can't imagine that the skin came from the outside. It seems like it must have come from the inside. I was hoping it meant another pullet was about to lay. I'm so worried.

Her eggs are humongous and the shells started out super hard and have softened just a tiny bit over time. I can't ever get her to eat egg shell but they are still hard, harder than store bought eggs.

Food - I provide all of them chicken starter at all times. My laying hen gets starter and laying pellet and she chooses what she wants to eat. In the morning i put all the food pales out so they eat what they want, mostly starter. I occasionally give them scratch and meal worms for treats. I have been recently giving them watermelon, corn, green beans, celery, and yogurt. They are just now interested in that kind of thing. Since my hen is laying I put all the food in one spot and she eats a pretty good bit because she is the only one that can get to it. Otherwise she isn't interested. When she is done I make sure all the other get some.

____________________
RIBH - I am so saddened to hear that. I have an old post (April 17 shortly after I bought her) that has info you might be interested in if you are trying to help me. What do you mean they can lay some weird things? What age does she look like? If you read the post here is some updated info: She has been laying as I explained. Her feces doesn't smell like poison anymore but she always has corn and seeds in it when she gets that for treats. She gets plenty of grit from the yard and Ive even supplemented and it might not be as bad but its still there and the other chickens feces isnt like that. She now squats and lets me pick her up. She is very interested in me. Didn't take much to get there with her.

Stop ALL treats and feed them oNLY the layer type feed.
I recommend doing this immediately before another one of your bird starts having a problem.

 

[Ascholten]

At that age, they should be eating layer feed, not starter. If you lay out stuff for them to eat, they will act JUST like your kids and go right for the candy, NOT the food that is actually healthy for them. Watermelon is nothing more really than sugar and water, it should be a treat IMO, not a staple.

Now that you have pictures, Id recommend throwing that thing in the trash or something before it attracts flies / maggots / potential predators.

Aaron

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

Stop ALL treats and feed them oNLY the layer type feed.
I recommend doing this immediately before another one of your bird starts having a problem.

Do you mind elaborating because I thought I finally had the food situation figured out. Why can't they have an occasional treat? All of my chucks are pullets except for my hen Belina. Some people say laying feed burns them out. Others say there is no such thing. I bought Belina pellets because it is 22% protein which the co-op says is higher protein and better than starter. I've also read they need less protein when they're laying. I've done a lot of exhausting confusing research. It seems like everyone has a different opinion. I would like to know yours but I don't want to turn this thread into a food only discussion. The main subject gets ignored when everyone chimes in about their food opinions. I hope that doesnt happen here but I am very open to hearing opinions. I always want to do better but I need convincing which I'm sure you understand.

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

At that age, they should be eating layer feed, not starter. If you lay out stuff for them to eat, they will act JUST like your kids and go right for the candy, NOT the food that is actually healthy for them. Watermelon is nothing more really than sugar and water, it should be a treat IMO, not a staple.

Now that you have pictures, Id recommend throwing that thing in the trash or something before it attracts flies / maggots / potential predators.

Aaron

Even though only one is old enough to lay?

 

[Kiki]

There is no doubt Your bird is having an egg laying issue... It is most likely because of what you are feeding.

The bird is not getting a complete balanced diet.
Feeding a complete balanced diet is important.
Hopefully your bird does not have an infection that's causing her to lay this mess.

Stop feeding treats and give her a complete balanced diet of layer feed and see if she starts laying regular normal eggs.

The best thing would be a vet visit for antibiotics just in case she already has an infection.

 

[Kiki]

Do you mind elaborating because I thought I finally had the food situation figured out. Why can't they have an occasional treat? All of my chucks are pullets except for my hen Belina. Some people say laying feed burns them out. Others say there is no such thing. I bought Belina pellets because it is 22% protein which the co-op says is higher protein and better than starter. I've also read they need less protein when they're laying. I've done a lot of exhausting confusing research. It seems like everyone has a different opinion. I would like to know yours but I don't want to turn this thread into a food only discussion. The main subject gets ignored when everyone chimes in about their food opinions. I hope that doesnt happen here but I am very open to hearing opinions. I always want to do better but I need convincing which I'm sure you understand.

Every time you feed something besides the age appropriate commercially made balanced feed you are taking away from your bird getting a balanced diet

This, what you just saw being laid today is exactly what happens when birds don't get a balanced complete diet.
I don't know how to put it in simpler terms than what I've just said.

 

[Kiki]

Even though only one is old enough to lay?

Didn't you just say the others are very close to egg laying age?
It's actually better to start the chickens on layer type feed a few weeks before they start laying eggs.