Soft shell hanging from vent

[Jakico]

My gold sex link is about 18 months. She normally lays massive eggs almost daily. She stopped and I assumed it was molt time. But she still popped in the box now and then but hasn’t produced in almost a month. I came home to find her standing still with egg contents on the ground and what appeared to be a soft shell hanging from her vent. I took her inside and gently removed the shell and she pooped I gave her some calcium, a warm bath and blow dry. All seemed well. Today she was the last out of the coop and her vent is puffy, not red, but seemed to have some egg white in her vent. I again gave her calcium, but no bath. I saw part of the soft shell and pulled gently, her vent released what seemed to be two eggs, no shell. She has not other symptoms she’s a little less bossy, but she eats, drinks and poops. Inspecting her further I do not think she’s molting anymore. What is happening and how can I help her? I attached pics. Sorry they are gross. One is of the soft shell rope that is coming from her vent. The other or what came out when I gave it a slight tug.

 

[Jakico]

I also want to add seven other chickens are laying without soft shells or deformities. Seems there calcium supply is sufficient

 

[ChicNmom]

Keep giving her calcium until she starts laying hard shelled eggs. If the calcium supply is seperate from the feed she just may not be eating it. Hopefully that will fix the problem. The thing to watch for is an internal infection from the soft eggs. I have not done this but have read you can flush them out with an epsom salt solution.

If it were one of mine, depending on the situation and the hen I might consider starting her on an antibiotic like amoxicillan.

Someone else will likely have more to add.

Also use the search function and look up soft shell or no shell eggs. You should find something helpful there.

 

[Jakico]

Keep giving her calcium until she starts laying hard shelled eggs. Hopefully that will fix the problem. The thing to watch for is an internal infection from the soft eggs. I have not done this but have read you can flush them out with an epsom salt solution.

If it were one of mine, depending on the situation and the hen I might consider starting her on an antibiotic like amoxicillan.

Someone else will likely have more to add.

Also use the search function and look up soft shell or no shell eggs. You should find something helpful there.

Thanks for the tips. Is there such a thing as too much calcium, I put some in a dish for her with some feed, but she lost after awhile so dissolved some tablets and mixed them into scrambled eggs. They are 600 mg of calcium and 20 mcg of D3

 

[ChicNmom]

Right now I wouldn't think so. You can back off once the eggs start getting hard again. One a day should do it although I'm not sure if they can get too much D.

I have some newer high production girls. They all have access to oyster shell in the coop but it seems these girls need more and they love egg shells. So I started washing out the egg shells after breakfast, smashing them and giving them back to them. They think it's a treat. LOL

 

[Jakico]

Right now I wouldn't think so. You can back off once the eggs start getting hard again.

I have some newer high production girls. They all have access to oyster shell in the coop but it seems these girls need more and they love egg shells. So I started washing out the egg shells after breakfast, smashing them and giving them back to them. They think it's a treat. LOL

They have access to both ouster shell and they’re own smashed shells, almost constantly. We buy antibiotics in Mexico for our pets I think I have gentamicin... I’m also a nurse so I have access to supplies, although I don’t like Idea of flushing her out. I take care of people and it’s a bird so I don’t know conversions for dosing and the anatomy is all wrong

 

[ChicNmom]

You may not need to do the flush or antibiotics.. If the eggs only broke when you pulled the soft shell out then there may not be much egg material in her. Sometimes when they come off of a break from laying it seems they have some soft eggs until things get going again.

If you do need to flush her out the instructions are somewhere on the forum.

 

[Jakico]

She pepped up after those egg contents left her. Then she had a giant poop, no blood. I decided to give her warm soak for good measure she got a blow dry which she loves. And she’s enjoying some worms and warmth in my mud room. She a little more vocal and protesting, because she probably wants to go home, but it’s raining and I want to look at her poop again. Her comb is still bright and she’s not squatting and pulsing anymore, which are good signs. She’s didn’t feel hot or skinny during her bath. I’m gonna try to take her to see someone soon because it seems reoccurring. Thank you for the support

 

[ChicNmom]

It's possible that she just isn't eating as much calcium as she needs. Hope she is OK!
Protesting and complaining are good signs. LOL

 

[Jakico]

Last night she slept in a dog kennel in our mud room. She had pooped once in there. She came out this morning walked around, she seems to have less energy, but not weak. She pecked at her crumble minimally, but ate a little egg with some calcium mixed in. Didn’t want to drink, might have gotten a few drops of water in with a syringe. She pooped twice and it looked normal but she seemed to need to squat and her legs got kinda shakey when she did it. I’m gonna keep her in the kennel in low light while I go to work and try and find an avian vet if I have time. She just stands in the kennel and closes her eyes when she’s in there, but will response to noses around her. She looks ok, but still have a gut feeling somethings not right.