Pre-egg discharge?

[AllenK RGV]

I'd put her in a crate like this to observe all discharges for at 24 hours period.

Sounds like a decent plan, I have a huge dog transport crate and medium dog crates with the same basic setup as your images. Will keep this in mind.

 

[AllenK RGV]

X2, may have been some residual feces, that was expelled before laying the egg?

I'd be a skeptic on this one, it was milky white homogeneous and barely viscous, nothing stuck to her vent area or feathers. It came out a perfect 10 as far as vent discharges go. That being said Sean you got 50 years experience on me.

So I'm getting a real impression that this isn't something normal.

 

[aart]

These are my free rangers, they do get scratch tossed at AM and PM chicken o'clock, plus they are raiding the now 5 month old silkie's 24% starter, however,the silkies also free range and less than 1.5 cups of that is offered daily.

So they don't have a regular ration always available.

X2, may have been some residual feces, that was expelled before laying the egg?

That's what I was thinking...juicy due to heat and lots of water consumption?

with the same basic setup as your images.

Smaller mesh added inside, so tray can go underneath crate??
Really helps to observe poops, instead of them stomping all over it.

 

[AllenK RGV]

So they don't have a regular ration always available. Well grass 12/7/365, plus whatever bugs they dig up.

That's what I was thinking...juicy due to heat and lots of water consumption? This could be my girls love drinking their water, and foot bathing and they don't care if its sunny or shady most days, our high temps have been mild lately at 92-95 degrees.

Smaller mesh added inside, so tray can go underneath crate?? Too easy I have plenty of 1x4 mesh and an angle grinder to make it fit, the 1/2" hardware cloth would probably be too fine.
Really helps to observe poops, instead of them stomping all over it.

Answered inside your quoted text.

 

[aart]

Well grass 12/7/365, plus whatever bugs they dig up.

Could be missing vital nutrition plus vitamins/minerals/amino acids.

the 1/2" hardware cloth would probably be too fine.

Yes, it would.
The 1x4 should work, good to put a chunk of 2x4 on the floor to give a break for feet on wire.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Could be missing vital nutrition plus vitamins/minerals/amino acids.

Yes, it would.
The 1x4 should work, good to put a chunk of 2x4 on the floor to give a break for feet on wire.

I like the 2x4 idea for rests, 2 of my wire crates are basically the same as yours dimensions are 2x3, my wife doesn't want me pulling her off the roost tonight, so its chicken wrangling in the AM when she comes up to steal the cats kibble or to lay.

I forgot they have had cat kibble on constant offer, at least the chicken have decided that is how it is going to roll. The cat is not impressed.

Also she is an excellent forager being a Sumatra we haven't killed these gals yet in our 1.5 years with them free ranging.

 

[AllenK RGV]

So they don't have a regular ration always available.

That's what I was thinking...juicy due to heat and lots of water consumption?

Smaller mesh added inside, so tray can go underneath crate??
Really helps to observe poops, instead of them stomping all over it.

Ok today she tried to go broody again so I got a good hands on look at her. And noticed she has some purple iridescent feather banding vs the expected pure green indicating she is facing some dietary challenges. No further discharge has been noted, however, I will be offering the 24% layer crumble to the Sumatra as well. They always have crushed oyster shell available but ignore it that stuff has been untapped since last year.