So what do you do if you have an internal layer?

[McGoo]

I have an 8 mo old who layed a tiny little egg back in September. And that was it. THe egg only had white in it, no yolk. She appears totally fine...red comb and waddles... though she talks a lot. Maybe that's pain??

I'd say that maybe she's just not laying yet, but her color is really bright red.

Any ideas?

 

[Dana]

Does your hen get to free range? It sounds like she might just be hiding her eggs somewhere in the yard.

 

[flakey chick]

Is her butt getting bigger? It is possible to surgically remove the ovary so that they stop internal laying. There was a thread here of someone who performed the surgery themselves. I think the thread had a tittle along the lines of "Hen with booty the size of a soccer ball". I hope someone else can get back to you with better info.

I personally wouldn't worry about her laying pattern. It is the time of year where hens slack off, and if she just started to lay as the days were getting shorter, she might just wait until the spring to start laying again.

 

[McGoo]

THank you both so much.

My hen does a little 'free range', but within my eye sight... and I work from home, so I can see. Also, there are numerous days when they have to be in their pen... no eggs. Oh, and the one little tiny egg that she did lay was in the nest box.

As for the site related to performing surgery... yikes, not sure that I could do it, but I will start by looking at her bum and see if it is growing and decide what to do from there

I just keep hoping that she'll finally lay one

 

[LynneP]

On a more cheerful note, I suspect her eggs are outside somewhere and that you'll find a nest of them soon. Watch her pattern during the day, track her common routine esoecially under porches or buildings and evergreen trees, and let us know!

 

[McGoo]

This has a weird ending. My hen ended up laying enormous eggs - but only 6 of them before she stopped again.. probably due to two things - cold weather and a golfball size something in her crop... I massage it, but it does block easy passage of food. I'm trying to solve this problem.

 

[LynneP]

A little olive oil can help too. Do a search at the top of the page, there have been many threads on impactions, full and partial...

 

[silkiechicken]

Before you need to treat for an impacted crop though, do withold feed all night and see if it is gone in the morning.

 

[McGoo]

Silkie chicken - thanks, and I didn't mention it but yes, I've done that numerous times... I'm concerned that she'll get sick and die if I don't do something soon.

I'll keep you all posted on how things go.

ps. my vet is a great lady who has worked with all types of animals, so I trust her.

 

[sammi]

you're lucky to have a good vet..

the tiny egg she layed is fairly common..
don't worry about that..
get her crop taken care of..

hope she does ok..