Sick chick? Not sure

ineedafix

In the Brooder
Apr 21, 2016
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Ok, so I am going to try this, not quite sure how all of this works. I joined in April. Had 6 little chicks at the time. Lost one due to heat, I think. Put them all on antibiotics to be sure. They have all been doing just fine, all Barred Rock. One of them just started laying her first eggs last week. She laid 5 in 5 days. Two days ago, no egg. Saw them all eating something "clear" in the run. Wasn't sure what to think of it. Checked out "Mae". She looked fine, was acting fine. Could not feel an egg inside her. Just figured it was a hormonal thing. This am when I went to the run she came out with the others, seemed fine, then whoops, a small amount of clear came out of her vent. Checked her out. Slightly dirty feathers, but other than that, she seems fine. Is this just a hiccup in in the laying process or do I need to do something more proactive? Comb is good, appetite seems fine, she talks and walks fine. Just don't want to lose another one. I hope someone answers . . .
 
Disappointed no one has responded to my post . . . still monitoring my chick. Gave her a tums, electrolytes and a spa bath last nite. Seemed happy this am. No messy butt. Felt around her pretty good when giving her the spa (soak in warm Epsom salt bath) could not find anything that would indicate she is egg bound. Just will keep an eye on her and hope to find an egg today.
 
She may have laid a shell-less or rubber egg that was eaten by the chickens, or possibly had a soft egg break inside her vent. Chickens can pass a clear thin fluid or bloom from their vents as they are laying an egg. New layers will be irregular and have various blips in their eggs at first, but usually it gets more regular after a couple of weeks. Shell-less eggs can be common at this time.
 
Disappointed no one has responded to my post . . . still monitoring my chick. Gave her a tums, electrolytes and a spa bath last nite. Seemed happy this am. No messy butt. Felt around her pretty good when giving her the spa (soak in warm Epsom salt bath) could not find anything that would indicate she is egg bound. Just will keep an eye on her and hope to find an egg today.
Hi, welcome to BYC!
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These things can go by pretty fast on the front page, sometimes making it hard to get responses.

It is completely normal for a new layer to take a day or 2 off. Also normal to have softees. Their laying system is just getting started and figuring itself out.

I think you may be a little OVER reactive with the antibiotics. Not all treat each infection. So if you are using the wrong one, you are just creating antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. Electrolytes and probiotics would be a good way to go. Raw, unfiltered ACV with "mother" in it added to the water is a good way to add probiotics, or yogurt. Also you can make your own elecrtolytes to save cost if needed.

The symptoms you describe don't sound anything like egg binding to me.
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I bet that was a nice spa bath though!
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Sounds like you are very proactive and will catch many thing before they become a serious problem! Your birds are lucky to have you.
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Of course I would continue to pay attention... but try not to worry too much.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the info EggSighted!!

I did the antibiotic a few weeks ago right after I had one die. Poop wasn't looking right, they were acting strange and not want to move much. They are all doing good now.

Mae is the one that hasn't laid an egg in four days. (None of the others have started yet, they don't look quiet mature enough - one is getting close tho, I think, comb and waddle getting bit) I put AVC in their water yesterday and today, no treats today. Going to stop and get some plain Greek yogurt. Gave them all a little a few weeks back, they gobbled it up.

My husband was impressed at how she liked the spa bath. I did get to see her poo, she may not be eating enough as I switched all of them over to a 16% layer pellet vs grower crumbles. I don't think they like the pellets. My husband bought some scratch and was feeding them that in with their feed, heard it is like crack to chickens and doesn't have much nutrition either. So, they get to go back to crumbles, I will do some soaking of the pellets to make them more appealing. Like I said, she was a happy camper this am. Don't know what I will find when I get home. I am getting attached to the girls. I didn't know chickens would be so entertaining.

Thanks again for the info and responding.
 
Thanks for the info EggSighted!!

I did the antibiotic a few weeks ago right after I had one die. Poop wasn't looking right, they were acting strange and not want to move much. They are all doing good now.

Mae is the one that hasn't laid an egg in four days. (None of the others have started yet, they don't look quiet mature enough - one is getting close tho, I think, comb and waddle getting bit) I put AVC in their water yesterday and today, no treats today. Going to stop and get some plain Greek yogurt. Gave them all a little a few weeks back, they gobbled it up.

My husband was impressed at how she liked the spa bath. I did get to see her poo, she may not be eating enough as I switched all of them over to a 16% layer pellet vs grower crumbles. I don't think they like the pellets. My husband bought some scratch and was feeding them that in with their feed, heard it is like crack to chickens and doesn't have much nutrition either. So, they get to go back to crumbles, I will do some soaking of the pellets to make them more appealing. Like I said, she was a happy camper this am. Don't know what I will find when I get home. I am getting attached to the girls. I didn't know chickens would be so entertaining.

Thanks again for the info and responding.
I probably wouldn't start layer for girls who aren't laying. My girls, same breed and DOB started laying more than 1 month apart. Too much calcium can cause kidney issues. You probablt need oyster shell on the side even with layer, but you could use grower for now & oyster shell on the side then switch back to the layer when they all are laying.

Sometimes as they get close to laying they will squat when you put your hand over them. Mine did this for several weeks before the first egg.

NEVER mix crack into the feed! They like potato chips as much as we do. And could definitely cause laying issues. Also, if you're gonna soak your feed.... have you considered fermenting? Here is a link for some quick info. I've been doing it for a while and satisfied with results.

https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/
 
Thanks! We got an egg today! Have oyster shells out, but will switch back to grower until they are all laying. I know one is getting close, the others haven't caught up. Will check out fermenting. Thsnks!!
 
I just wanted to share with you that I got my first egg from my EE named Puffy yesterday.
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She had been searching for a spot for a while now and practiced the song twice in a few weeks. But yesterday I saw her singing and close to the food.... All my hens/pullets go to the food right after laying. So unexpectedly when I checked the box there was this tiny, 30 gram, olive colored egg! The best part was that it was in the box.
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Because with 31 girls trying to hide nests on 1 acre heavily covered in blackberries, my hands were tore up from the first nest I found. I hope the color of the egg becomes more pastel. So far 1 out of 4 of my EE's is a boy. And both of my Lavender Ameraucana are also boys. Why can't I get blue eggs?!
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Glad you got an egg! And now you know when they first start laying it can be sporadic, so no need to worry. Egg binding is more of a problem for sex links and other breeds bred to be prolific layers. Did you ever tell me what breeds they were?

Have a great day!
 
That's awesome!! An acre sounds like a nice area for them to run around in. 31 is quite a flock! It sounds like you will be having daily Easter egg hunts once they all start to lay!! I haven't heard Mae sing her song yet, haven't been home when she has laid, maybe over the long weekend I will get to hear it. I had no idea that they did a song after laying!! How wonderful you got to hear her singing!!

I don't know much about the different kind of breeds or what type of eggs they lay. I am still quite a novice. Hence, why I may have over reacted.

All of mine are Barred Rock. Since this is the very first time I have ever had chickens I was told they tolerate heat and cold well, are pretty friendly and are good layers. Winner, winner, not a chicken dinner!!!

We just have 5. They live in a 10 x 16 dog run that I have dubbed Fort Clukx!! We have a cat that keeps climbing the chain link and walking across the top!!! (It is covered with a tarp that has more chain link secured with hog rings!!) They have a small coop inside the run that sits on hardware cloth and they get closed up at nite.

My husband grew up on a farm and his mom had over 100 chickens. He had to clean out the coop. So, he has been VERY reluctant for me to have any at all . . . but since his grand children were excited he has gotten on board and has been very supportive. He even made some pvc feeders for me yesterday to eliminate waste and I won't have to lock up the feed at nite!.

Have a great weekend, hope you get to find some blue eggs over the weekend!!
 

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