knowmyknot
In the Brooder
Brand new to chickens and hoping someone can help! I've looked on the forums here and can't seem to find this exact problem.
I've had 3 Buff Orpingtons since 9/10 (at 24 weeks old). One hen, Ginger, was the first to lay. She laid her first egg on 9/19 (about 25 weeks old) and laid at least 2-3 a week till about the end of the September.
Then I started noticing egg yolk in the coop. I didn't think much of it at first since I know shell-less eggs are common with new layers. But now it's been a good 2 weeks since I've seen an in-tact egg from her and I keep finding yolks without membranes and membranes without yolks in weird places. She was also walking around with a membrane hanging out of her vent for an afternoon but by the next morning it was on the coop floor. They all have access to oyster shell at all times, but I've never seen her eat it, and I've tried feeding her calcium tablets but she won't eat them.
The only laying behavior I've actually witnessed since then:
Yesterday it looked like she might have vent gleet but it's really hard to get close enough to see. She used to squat when I came near her but now she just runs away. I started her on probiotics today and tried to spray her with an antifungal/antibacterial spray but again, I can't really get close enough to. My other hens have started laying consistently and they seem fine.
I've had 3 Buff Orpingtons since 9/10 (at 24 weeks old). One hen, Ginger, was the first to lay. She laid her first egg on 9/19 (about 25 weeks old) and laid at least 2-3 a week till about the end of the September.
Then I started noticing egg yolk in the coop. I didn't think much of it at first since I know shell-less eggs are common with new layers. But now it's been a good 2 weeks since I've seen an in-tact egg from her and I keep finding yolks without membranes and membranes without yolks in weird places. She was also walking around with a membrane hanging out of her vent for an afternoon but by the next morning it was on the coop floor. They all have access to oyster shell at all times, but I've never seen her eat it, and I've tried feeding her calcium tablets but she won't eat them.
The only laying behavior I've actually witnessed since then:
- She expelled only an egg white one morning in the run. Later in the afternoon she expelled just the yolk, and then a few minutes later an empty membrane.
- I saw her hunched down and concentrating (it looked like she was trying to lay) under the coop the other day (not her usual spot) but all that came out was poop.
Yesterday it looked like she might have vent gleet but it's really hard to get close enough to see. She used to squat when I came near her but now she just runs away. I started her on probiotics today and tried to spray her with an antifungal/antibacterial spray but again, I can't really get close enough to. My other hens have started laying consistently and they seem fine.
