Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MaryJanet]

Well, just as I was feeling great about my tribes' overall health and the hens laying good eggs, this happened. These are Patucha's eggs over the past four days.

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The two on the right have wrinkles on top and the one she laid this morning is massive.

She seems fine. I checked her out. Clean bum, vent is not swollen, red upright comb. She's walking around, foraging etc.

There are no signs of Infectious Bronchitis in these chickens. I've seen wrinkled eggs before from the hens I had before, but this was over three years ago. All of those hens have died -- and they had other symptoms like diarrhea, rales, sneezing, and very weak eggshells.

Patucha didn't live here until after the affected hens had died. I suppose it's possible that the two survivors (Cleo and Cheri) were still carriers, but unlikely -- I've read obsessively about IB and the the viral load drops to almost nil over one (minimum) and two (maximum) years after infection. I had a tiny closed flock for over two years. And I'm not even 100% they even had IBV. No necropsy. Just the symptoms matched up, so I kept just three hens until it *seemed* safe to bring in some new blood.


Patucha has none of the IBV symptoms, nor does anyone else, and these irregular eggs feel quite strong. I really don't think there's IB at work. But the wrinkles and sheer size of the last one ...sheesh.

I'd appreciate some input from anyone who may have seen this -- could it have something to do with the end of her current laying cycle?

I'm hoping she is at the end and will go broody, or perhaps she is going into a molt soon. She's not losing feathers, though. Patucha always goes broody about a week after Tina, and Tina went broody on July 27, so she's a bit overdue for a brood. She's laid a lot of eggs since weaning Solo (24 in the past 35 days) and I'd like to see her body get a break. She's about about 2.5 years old.

@Perris @Shadrach @MaryJanet @MrsNorthie @TheFatBlueCat or anyone else who's seen something like this -- thank you

Cleo's last eggs before she fell sick and died were also enormous and wrinkled -- but also thin-shelled , so I'm a bit worried.

(Edited to mention that IBV is often cited as a reason for wrinkles in eggs -- but I suppose it could be many factors)

I've had a hectic weekend and have only just caught up on Shad's thread now it's Monday morning.

At this point all I can do is add I've only seen wrinkles in shells from older ISA Brown hens who later had serious reproductive health problems.

I think you're right, reducing calcium a little may be effective.

 

[Shadrach]

Did anyone figure out who's name is on the allotment paperwork or if there's paperwork

There are a couple of versions at least. There is also more than one bank account for the allotments. Someone from the council is looking into it.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Shad it is great to hear you all can cut C from any control at all.
Who would up with the geese or is it ducks there?

 

[Shadrach]

Shad it is great to hear you all can cut C from any control at all.
Who would up with the geese or is it ducks there?
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This is something to be dealt with once the legal stuff is sorted out. The geese belong to C. I don't think anyone will object to them being there but some conditions would need to be met.
The chickens will belong to the group but I will be responsible for their care. I'm good with that. If they want to give me the chickens, then I'm good with that to.

 

[TropicalChickies]

I've had a hectic weekend and have only just caught up on Shad's thread now it's Monday morning.

At this point all I can do is add I've only seen wrinkles in shells from older ISA Brown hens who later had serious reproductive health problems.

I think you're right, reducing calcium a little may be effective.

Thanks MJ and everyone else who responded. I really appreciate hearing other experiences. Today Patucha laid a nice normal egg. I also checked my records and she's barely two years old, never been sick a day. So I'm hoping it was just a glitch and not giving any more extra calcium in addition to the limestone chips provided.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Nor do I think I should be making conclusions.

Ah, right. "Conclusion" not the best word choice. "Theory" would be better, or perhaps until I've made a few years worth of these observations, "hypothesis" would do.

 

[TropicalChickies]

It's taken a while and quite a lot of talking which is work to me, but we finally have a plot holders agreement to vote C out of control should it be necessary.

 

[TropicalChickies]

We will still need to supplement with watering, and I was wondering if keeping a pan of water in there, with the heat from the sun would create more steady humidity. Something to try, anyway.

Use terracotta clay pots. Keep the soil deeply mulched at all times. That will help.

 

[MrsNorthie]

It's taken a while and quite a lot of talking which is work to me, but we finally have a plot holders agreement to vote C out of control should it be necessary.

Excellent and Congratulations! I know talking to people is rough, but in this case so worth it! It will be better for the allotment and definitely better for Henry, Fret, Carbon and any new additions. Just be wary of her doing anything psychotic, she seems like she may be more than a bit unstable.

 

[TropicalChickies]

This is my understanding too. However, almost all the studies I've found are ultra-short-term. Hardly any involve birds more than 6 months old, never mind years old, so I am wary of generalising their results; I'm not sure their subjects had enough time to heal properly. I've had birds who essentially ceased laying for a year after an illness, but resumed the following season and have laid well since. I've had others who never laid again as well. But since I'm not in this for gain, I don't mind keeping some unproductive birds; they earn their keep in other ways, like the roos

Yes, true. In he studies I've read the birds were very young. I don't mind keeping hens that don't lay, especially when they are as sweet at our Butchie (who just turned 3 a few days ago)

I used to feed them when they got of the nest away from the other chickens, usually outside my house.

Dusty (the little black frizzle) is smart and does exactly that. Tina on the other hand... She comes on the nest when she hears the others eating -- or she just snaps out of her trance at the same time for whatever reason. I move around the group to intercept her with some food. She nibbles a little and then charges like gangbusters (she can fly quite high and runs like an ostrich) into the group, where she makes a big ruckus and doesn't get much. I end up waiting until she goes back to her nest and then making a special trip to hand feed her. Total high maintenance queen. And a nutter to boot. The only time she has a better personality is when she's mothering -- then she is as sweet as pie with her brood, nurturing, calm -- total transformation. Probably my ulterior motive for letting her sit again...