Poopy Feathers on Bottom and Blood-Smeared Freshly Laid Eggs!

[nittanyhens]

Hi, all!

One of our laying hens [two out of five are laying at 6-7 months]--they're young and we're beginners]--suddenly has dried poop and wet-looking feathers on her behind. Yesterday and today she's laid eggs that are blood-smeared. Any ideas on what's going on and how we can help our babe?

Thank you so much!

PS--They're in a 6' x 8' A-Frame chicken tractor that has an upper quarter fashioned into a coop. We'd recently taken the gangplank out to repair it, so they're jumping about two-and-a-half feet to get onto roosts and into the coop. Could that be a problem? She's a big, leader, coordinated girl, but we all miss our target once in awhile...

Thanks again,

Sally

 

[LynneP]

If this is a one-time event she may have strained to release an egg. See if she self-grooms. She may have a nicked membrane. This may heal on its own but bears watching. Be sure she has lots of water at this time of year. It takes a while for young hens to adjust to laying. Her chute may be conforming to egg size and her hormonal cycles.


About the roosts- I can't say. You'll have to observe and see!