Shell-less eggs or something else?

[Sefirothe]

I have a 7-8 month old Barnevelder girl that from day one seemed to have GI issues. I was constantly cleaning her butt as a chick. As a pullet she'd occasionally have some runny poo and poo stuck to her butt fluff but usually took care of it herself and it was an intermittent issue.

She's also the lowest on the pecking order but isnt really picked on, she just usually chooses to stay out of the rest of the 5 pullet's way. She moves off if any of the others so much as look at her. She does get to roost with everyone, usually after everyone else picks their spot.

The last week or so I've noticed she's had a bit of caked up butt fluff, but yesterday I noticed her butt is reaaally gross with gunk. She was in the corner of the pen by the waterer, a little hunched and puffed up. But still taking a drink now and then. She squatted and a little bit of clear came out, that looked like egg whites.

She's been squatting like for a rooster when I come in the pen for the last couple weeks so I was expecting her to start laying soon.

I had been feeding them layer feed in the fall, but when no one started laying I switched to all flock when the bag ran out. They do have oyster shell constantly available. Not sure if maybe the others could have been chasing her off of it tho.

I picked up some calcium citrate with D3 at Walmart this morning and I've given her a pill today. Is there anything else I can do?

I just have a bad feeling since she's always seemed to have some kind of gut issues.

 

[Eggcessive]

She really sounds like she has some reproductive disorder. There are many different ones. This seems more likely that some temporary issue since she has never laid eggs. False layer is one that may sit in a nest box, and never lays an egg. Salpingitis or internal layers may lay eggs up into the abdomen, and egg masses and may be found inside them. You could try the calcium supplement for a week, to see if it helps.

Many times we don’t know the issue until we lose them. If you lose her, I would do a necropsy to look at her organs. Take pictures of findings to post here for opinions. I had a respiratory virus go through my flock which caused a lot of the chickens to have egg laying problems, and some died early in life. I saw abnormal shells in most of those that died later. Here is a good video of a necropsy where organs are labeled:

 

[Eggcessive]

Calcium is best given with vitamin D3, so what you already have is fine to give if she is having trouble with her egg shells. When an egg is leaking from or has broken inside, it can be a setup for infection, thus the amoxicillin recommendation. Hopefully, this will help, but unfortunately, some hens may have reproductive disorders. I had a single barnevelder once, though the hatchery was supposed to have sent 2 chicks, and she died in her first year without laying any eggs. They were pretty scarce back then. I later began to do necropsies on my hens who died, just to try and find a reason.

 

[Sefirothe]

This is Cadbury about a month ago.

I checked on her a little bit ago and she's looking less scrunched up and puffed up. She was roosted up with the rest of the flock and settled in for the night.

Hoping the calcium helps and it was just the fact that her flockmates were chasing her off the oyster shell. I'll be adding a second dish of it on the other side of the pen to be safe. And switching them back to layer as soon as this bag of all flock runs out.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

(Barnevelders are so beautiful... would you have a picture to show us?)

If your hen was mine, I would :
1 - clean her up,
2 - mix food grade Diatomaceous Earth in her feed (in a plastic feeder) - everyday,
3 - give her ACCESS to yogurt mixed (at least) with wet cat food, curcumin, ginger, and thyme - for 6-7 days,
4 - the 15th day after begining to mix DE in her feed, I would put Apple Cider Vinegar in her water (in a plastic waterer : NEVER IN A METAL WATERER) - 1 tablespoon per liter of water.

For what it's worth :

In the past, I had often one of my hens, then several, that laid shell-less eggs... in spite of the fact my flock had an unlimited access to layer pellets AND to oystershell grit...
I tried to put an end to it by giving them liquid Calcium, but it was ineffective : the hens that laid eggs kept laying eggs (but with thicker eggshells), but the hens that laid shell-less eggs kept laying these shell-less eggs...

But since I have begun to feed food grade Diatomaceous Earth to my chickens - to, precisely, allow an unlimited access to food/seeds/pellets mixed DE to all of my birds (IN ADDITION to their usual food without DE) -, NONE of my hens has laid any shell-less egg anymore.
On the contrary, all of their eggs have now a very, very thick shell!

If you hen is weak, you can already try to make her strong by feeding her what would be right for her.
Hoping your hen has not a too serious problem, of course...!!

Good luck.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I haven't seen evidence of a shell membrane. Its possible she passed it while I wasn't there and the others ate it.

I'll keep giving her the calcium citrate and I'll see about getting her the amoxicillin. And try to get my husband to help give it. I have a severe allergy to all of the -cillins unfortunately.

I just hope this isnt a recurring issue with her.

Cadbury is lovely.

If you are allergic to the medication, do be aware you don't want to eat/use her eggs either, so if you aren't certain that you'll be able to i.d. her egg to throw it out, then I'd wait to see if she gets better without the abx or perhaps choose something different to use. Tetracyclines may be a better choice if you are not allergic to those and you find it necessary to medicate her.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would separate her in a dog crate with her own food and water while you are treating her in this weak state. Being in view of the rest of the flock would be better for her, and if she gets better it would make reintegration easier. But you may need to bring her inside, that is up to you. Culling her if she seems to be suffering at any time would be your choice.

 

[Sefirothe]

I never tore down their little grow out coop/pen. Cadbury is bedded down in there with some thick shavings and food and water within easy reach. It's in sight of the rest of the girls' run.

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how she continues to get along and if the vet has any suggestions. Will she eat egg or mushy chick feed?

 

[Sefirothe]

Just coming back to put a close to Cadbury's saga.

This morning when I went out to clean/feed/collect eggs, I saw there was a lot of blood on the poop board/roost. I checked everyone over and couldn't find any injuries. Cadbury's back end around her vent was totally plucked clean of feathers and she had poop caked to her skin.

I checked the camera history and the blood was under where she was roosting. I can only think she was pooping blood. She was back to being hunched/puffed up and not wanting to eat again. I noticed on the cameras yesterday the flock ganging up on her again too.

I made the decision to cull her. She was weak enough that she didn't fight being caught or anything. It was over quick and after there wasn't much muscle spasms afterwards even.

I couldn't quite bring myself to cut her open tho. I just firmly believe her digestive/reproductive tract wasn't right from the get go.