possible laying internally.

[Cantonmentchickenmama]

This afternoon my husband had to cull the second hen that we think may have been laying internally. This hen was not able to walk, panting hard (very hot outside), refused food and drink, crop clear, had a foul smell around her vent feathers, and she had lost some weight. What causes the hen to lay internally? Is there something I can do to prevent this in the future?

 

[CMV]

I am sorry for your loss. I just euthanized an internal layer yesterday, so this subject is particularly close to my heart at the moment.

There is nothing you could have done differently. High production layers are prone to this problem. Unfortunately, they are probably genetically predisposed to this problem. The majority of the issue comes from hens that are produced in the hatcheries. The hatcheries have no desire to breed this fault out of their lines because this fault means that high production hens will need to be replaced every few years. This is a good thing for their bottom line. Unfortunately, this fault is heart-breaking for those of us that have to watch our hens waste away while simultaneously blowing up in the belly, and eventually either dying a long painful death or being euthanized by us.

I will never buy another high production pullet from the hatcheries after my experience with this. I shall stick to the lower producing hens in hopes of trying to avoid this outcome in the future.

Again- I am sorry. Good luck.

 

[speckledhen]

Same here. Been through this so many times already, I feel like I know way more than I ever wanted to know about it.

These threads may be helpful to you in the future if you haven't read them already. You will experience this again, especially if you keep the most common hatchery breeds.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362422

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=195347

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ences-on-egg-reproduction-production-necropsy

 

[Cantonmentchickenmama]

Thank you for the posts. I have not purchased any of my hens directly from a hatchery. However, I bought several of them from other people that may have purchased them from hatcheries. To maintain my brood size, I am concentrating on egg trading, then hatching my own. I recently connected with a lady on facebook ( thru the egg list page) that was willing to trade a dozen of her eggs for a dozen of my eggs. She has some breeds that I want and vice versa. I am intriged with allow my hens to hatch their own biddies. I currently have a muddle silkie that is sitting on seven eggs. After this batch, I will suspend the egg sitting until later in the season. It seems that eight of my hens have become broody all at once.

 

[CMV]

Isn't that always the way. When I want to hatch eggs I can't get a broody to save my life. As soon as I have enough eggs hatched everyone goes broody on me. I swear it is the law of the poultry yard.