Possible reproductive issue with my Hen?

[Stockpilejoy]

Approx 2 weeks back I adopted 2 10mos old barred rocks as I've mentioned in a couple other feeds. When I got them I noticed right off that one seemed to have ruffled feathers around legs. I was not too concerned since they were both treated for mites and worms that week and appeared very healthy otherwise. They both have been exceptional layers. I've been a bit curious why Ms Anne's eggs have been real shiny looking and felt as if oil had been rubbed on them. I tried doing research but found nothing on oily looking eggs. The shells have been hard and normal looking, just oily up to a few days ago. Now over the last 3 days the shiny egg laying hen, [Ms Anne] has been laying shell-less eggs. I have found 2 total and this evening she is acting strange so I'm thinking she might lay another on the drop board. I have been reading several threads on shell-less eggs and it has been very helpful. Didn't think I'd be having problems so soon and this is something I've not dealt with before. Not sure if she's having reproductive problems, stressed or not able to absorb calcium. I've read here in one thread that ACV can interfere with calcium absorption so I did not add it to their water today. I've seen her eat some oyster shell that I provide in separate container so I haven't been too concerned till this evening. As I went out to put them in large coop for the night, I noticed she was acting different. She was standing off to herself not moving around. I stayed and watched her for 5mins. Right off I could see a breathing pattern by the way her tail & bottom moved. I got her to walk and noticed she took bigger strides and moved more slowly but that could be due to her being cautious with me watching her. Sadly as I was trying to get video Hansel jumped on top of her. I trimmed that portion off of the video. Poor girl. I picked her up and her bottom feels soft and tissue looks normal but does seem a bit droopy. Underneath there may be fluid? Not sure. I went ahead and put her on roost in coop. I may need to separate her tomorrow morning. She went to sleep soon after. What's your thoughts on what's going on? Does it mean anything when you can see breathing pattern in bottom? If she declines I will take her to the vet. Thanks in advance. A while back I posted thread about my Harriet with fatty liver. Although Ms Anne looks like Harriet, this is a different hen.

 

[Chickassan]

Shellless eggs are often a shell gland problem and often can be mixed inbetween laying perfectly shelled eggs. When you say her eggs were oily, do you mean just shiny or literally slick? The bottom movement is her body either preparing to lay or getting over laying, my shellless layer often has bottom movement and acts "off".
Laying eggs like that is much harder on the hen than normal eggs. In the morning crush a tums and offer it to her, it will boost her calcium almost immediately and it will help her out a little bit.

 

[Stockpilejoy]

Shellless eggs are often a shell gland problem and often can be mixed inbetween laying perfectly shelled eggs. When you say her eggs were oily, do you mean just shiny or literally slick? The bottom movement is her body either preparing to lay or getting over laying, my shellless layer often has bottom movement and acts "off".
Laying eggs like that is much harder on the hen than normal eggs. In the morning crush a tums and offer it to her, it will boost her calcium almost immediately and it will help her out a little bit.

Some were slick. The shininess made them quite pretty. I recall using a paper towel on one to wipe off some greasy substance. At the time I thought maybe it was some cecal dropping on egg. At Easter I color eggs and add oil to them prior to placing in basket. Her eggs reminded me of them. Should I mix tums in food or do hens like the taste of them? I have mint flavor on hand. Thank you.

 

[Chickassan]

Just feed it to her in your hand, they like them pretty well.

Some were slick. The shininess made them quite pretty. I recall using a paper towel on one to wipe off some greasy substance. At the time I thought maybe it was some cecal dropping on egg. At Easter I color eggs and add oil to them prior to placing in basket. Her eggs reminded me of them. Should I mix tums in food or do hens like the taste of them? I have mint flavor on hand. Thank you.

 

[Stockpilejoy]

This morning I separated her along with the other hen that was adopted with her. I didn't want Hansel bothering her since she appears to be his favorite hen. She did lay on drop board last night and it was a yucky mess. Since the drop board is not far from the roost I think it came out with broken yolk & egg whites separate from membrane. Now her bottom is exposed... not sure if it's due to the messy egg whites weighing down her fluff down or that things are swollen down there. She is acting ok and eating. Gave her crushed tums. I went out again and noticed 2 separate droppings that looked black in color w/ pudding consistency. I started on her on broad spectrum antibiotic because of my concern egg may have broken while tunneling down and don't want infection to set in.

 

[Stockpilejoy]

It just occurred to me that the black cecal pudding like droppings could be from the blueberries I gave her yesterday. Da! At first glance I thought it was old blood.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When I got them I noticed right off that one seemed to have ruffled feathers around legs.

I've been a bit curious why Ms Anne's eggs have been real shiny looking and felt as if oil had been rubbed on them.

The shells have been hard and normal looking, just oily up to a few days ago.

Now over the last 3 days the shiny egg laying hen, [Ms Anne] has been laying shell-less eggs. I have found 2 total and this evening she is acting strange so I'm thinking she might lay another on the drop board.

stressed

She was standing off to herself not moving around.

She did lay on drop board last night and it was a yucky mess. Since the drop board is not far from the roost I think it came out with broken yolk & egg whites separate from membrane. Now her bottom is exposed... not sure if it's due to the messy egg whites weighing down her fluff down or that things are swollen down there. She is acting ok and eating.

Sounds like she may be a bit stressed - new place, new flock and cockerel/rooster to boot!
Her actions you saw - not feeling well, isolating herself - likely she was trying to expel the yucky mess you saw on the poop board last night. Soft shelled eggs are very hard to lay.
If she has poop and egg matter matting the fluff down, then give her a clean up - a good soak won't hurt her.
Tums are great in an situation like this so well done, the extra calcium helps with contractions so she was able to push that out.
Look her over to see if there is any yolk/egg white leaking from the vent, hopefully those were all expelled. If you did start her on antibiotics (what did you give her?) I would probably finish the round of those just in case any of the contents of that soft shelled eggs spilled into the oviduct.
It wouldn't hurt to give her 1/2 tablet of Caltrate daily for 3-5 days as well.

Not sure about oily eggs - do you have photos of those?
The breathing...chickens have 9 air sac plus 2 lungs.
There are abdominal air sacs (2) right there fairly close to the vent. Likely stress/trying to expel the egg you saw the breathing more pronounced.
Glad she is doing better this morning.

 

[Stockpilejoy]

Sounds like she may be a bit stressed - new place, new flock and cockerel/rooster to boot!
Her actions you saw - not feeling well, isolating herself - likely she was trying to expel the yucky mess you saw on the poop board last night. Soft shelled eggs are very hard to lay.
If she has poop and egg matter matting the fluff down, then give her a clean up - a good soak won't hurt her.
Tums are great in an situation like this so well done, the extra calcium helps with contractions so she was able to push that out.
Look her over to see if there is any yolk/egg white leaking from the vent, hopefully those were all expelled. If you did start her on antibiotics (what did you give her?) I would probably finish the round of those just in case any of the contents of that soft shelled eggs spilled into the oviduct.
It wouldn't hurt to give her 1/2 tablet of Caltrate daily for 3-5 days as well.

Not sure about oily eggs - do you have photos of those?
The breathing...chickens have 9 air sac plus 2 lungs.
There are abdominal air sacs (2) right there fairly close to the vent. Likely stress/trying to expel the egg you saw the breathing more pronounced.
Glad she is doing better this morning.

Thank you for the info. Sorry no photos of shiny eggs. The antibiotic is sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim oral tabs[SMZ/TMP 480mg/80mg] 1/4 tab. The bottle says once a day for 10 days but have read that it can also be prescribed twice daily for 5 days. I have tetracycline power on hand but adding it to water would make her sister get unneeded antibiotics. With her being a newbie she is still very skittish so thinking giving once a day for 10 days might be easier. I split a blueberry and hid two sections of dose inside and she took it willing.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the info. Sorry no photos of shiny eggs. The antibiotic is sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim oral tabs[SMZ/TMP 480mg/80mg] 1/4 tab. The bottle says once a day for 10 days but have read that it can also be prescribed twice daily for 5 days. I have tetracycline power on hand but adding it to water would make her sister get unneeded antibiotics. With her being a newbie she is still very skittish so thinking giving once a day for 10 days might be easier. I split a blueberry and hid two sections of dose inside and she took it willing.

I would follow the dosing instructions on your label
Hope she feels better soon!

 

[Stockpilejoy]

I could tell Ms Anne was getting ready to lay again yesterday evening. Concerned because her little bottom was once again exposed when she bent over, and at times when she was just standing. Fluff is still heavy and going every which way on legs and lower bottom portion, but clean making me wonder if it's a sign she has something going on health wise. She was very perky and acted like the others while free ranging yesterday but at 5pm appeared to be a bit noisy. I could tell she wasn't sure whether to go to nesting box or roost... She ended up going to roost earlier than the others.
Well this morning I found an egg with normal egg shell under roost on drop board. It did break but was frozen. Still keeping watch since I'm concerned she has fluid in lower bottom area and between legs. This morning I failed giving her antibiotic and additional calcium. Placed it in blueberry but she refused to take it and one of the other girls slipped around me snatched it. I brought out another dose in a dispenser I have for hens but she wiggled out of my arms and pill dropped out. Hansel came running to protect her. Could not find pill in pine shavings. I'll have to try again later with new game plan. Egg below from last night.