FunClucks
Crowing
One of my 8-9 mo old hens laid this while on the roost. There was poop half on top of it. I removed the poop, removed it from the run, took a picture, then opened it up and took a few more pictures. I think it's a soft shell egg with bloody protrusion, there's a yolk in there, and some white.
I haven't been able to ID which hen this came from - they're all acting fine, with no dirty butts. No signs of illness (lice, mites, respiratory, etc.). The only stressors have been the crazy weather - few days of -9F temps, few weeks below 32F, which is not normal here in North Alabama, followed by a week at 50-60F, and now the freezing temps are back again (23F, 32F, etc.) for the next week or so. I'm still getting 12 eggs from 15 hens (one is molting) daily. One rooster. Few hens and the rooster got frostbite on their combs, but the hens were mildly affected (a point or two). Poor rooster is loosing all his points.
Chickens live in an open air coop/run (greenhouse frame covered with hardware cloth and a clear plastic tarp). It's 10'x20' with plenty of run clutter, two treadle feeders and two 5 gallon horizontal nipple waterers placed where they're not in each other's line of sight. I put up additional plastic on the sides and end of the run to cut down on wind, and I've been rolling it up when the weather is 50-60F.
Other than giving my entire flock Calcium with vitamin D person vitamins for about 3 days, is there anything else I can do? Would it hurt to treat all my flock if I can't ID the one hen? If I don't do anything, what is the risk to my hen?
My BO dropped dead a few months ago the day after laying a half-size egg (suspected reproduction issues), we'd like to avoid more chicken death if possible. All chickens came from Hoovers via Rural King, and they don't free range due to predators.
I feed Purina All Flock/Flockraiser with grit and oyster shell (white rocks and dried/broken up egg shell) in separate containers. They get at least 10% treats each day (scratch) to encourage scratching in the run wood chips. A few times a week they get people food (fruits, veggies, raw or cooked egg), though I try to stay away from sodium and fatty items.
I'd swear they all eat the white rocks. Haven't had any soft shells before.
I sell eggs - what is the risk that a normal (non-softshell) egg could contain this much blood? That might freak out my customers, and I'd rather not do that.
Would super appreciate you guys' help with this!
I haven't been able to ID which hen this came from - they're all acting fine, with no dirty butts. No signs of illness (lice, mites, respiratory, etc.). The only stressors have been the crazy weather - few days of -9F temps, few weeks below 32F, which is not normal here in North Alabama, followed by a week at 50-60F, and now the freezing temps are back again (23F, 32F, etc.) for the next week or so. I'm still getting 12 eggs from 15 hens (one is molting) daily. One rooster. Few hens and the rooster got frostbite on their combs, but the hens were mildly affected (a point or two). Poor rooster is loosing all his points.
Chickens live in an open air coop/run (greenhouse frame covered with hardware cloth and a clear plastic tarp). It's 10'x20' with plenty of run clutter, two treadle feeders and two 5 gallon horizontal nipple waterers placed where they're not in each other's line of sight. I put up additional plastic on the sides and end of the run to cut down on wind, and I've been rolling it up when the weather is 50-60F.
Other than giving my entire flock Calcium with vitamin D person vitamins for about 3 days, is there anything else I can do? Would it hurt to treat all my flock if I can't ID the one hen? If I don't do anything, what is the risk to my hen?
My BO dropped dead a few months ago the day after laying a half-size egg (suspected reproduction issues), we'd like to avoid more chicken death if possible. All chickens came from Hoovers via Rural King, and they don't free range due to predators.
I feed Purina All Flock/Flockraiser with grit and oyster shell (white rocks and dried/broken up egg shell) in separate containers. They get at least 10% treats each day (scratch) to encourage scratching in the run wood chips. A few times a week they get people food (fruits, veggies, raw or cooked egg), though I try to stay away from sodium and fatty items.
I'd swear they all eat the white rocks. Haven't had any soft shells before.
I sell eggs - what is the risk that a normal (non-softshell) egg could contain this much blood? That might freak out my customers, and I'd rather not do that.
Would super appreciate you guys' help with this!
