Soft shelled egg - broke while passing?

[HippieAtHeart]

So this morning my chickens were all good, around 1pm I went and checked and my hen was in a nesting box, I went just went back here around 6 and she was still on it so I figured she was egg bound, did quick research and tried to grab her. When I did I realized she had passed a soft egg shell that was broken, picture attached. She was standing the whole time with her butt downward pointing and when I tried to get her she went straight to the water and started drinking then my other chicken started pecking at her. I got her out of there and she is now in my shed which is my chicken hospital that now has 2 occupants. Thinking back I saw yellow looking liquid in another part of the coop which I thought was off, but now think maybe it broke then she passed the liquid then later passed the soft shell.

Prior to this she was laying fine, almost everyday. She is a 3/4 year old Rhode Island Red, I got her about a month ago. I have been spraying them with permethrin each week for the 4 weeks (this was the last) and Monday was her last treatment, she laid fine yesterday. Her shells were thinner, so are the other layers eggs, but not super thin just easily crackable compared to store bought eggs. I give them later pellets and also layer feed which is cracked corn and other things in addition to meal worms as a treat and a bowl of crushed up egg shells that they always have access to.

I have her in a dog crate that is darkened, plenty of cool water, egg shells, and food. What if anything should I do for her? Should I giver her tuna?

@Eggcessive @Mixed flock enthusiast @aart (saw you posted on something similar) do you have any suggestions for me?

 

[Peppercorngal]

I’ll have to get some oyster shell tomorrow for her and my other chickens. I isolated her because she was in the nesting box standing and not moving for 6 hours, she only left when I tried to get her and then when she went to drink another hen began to peck at her vent. She is still off and has her back end down. Does it matter the eggshell was broken and the insides found so where else? Should I be giving her antibiotics or is this just something that happens from time to time?

Yes, she may have reproduction problems, or have retained part of the shell. I don't know if antibiotics will help. Other's will know more and have better advice for you. Good Luck

 

[HippieAtHeart]

I gave her a 500mg tab of tums administered orally. She seems to be eating and drinking okay. Her vent looks fine, I see she passed more stuff last night in her crate. Underneath her vent those feathers are gross (usually are though) so later today I’m going to get her a bath then tomorrow as long as she’s still good I’ll put her back in the coop.

 

[aart]

She seems to be eating and drinking so that’s good, I was going to put her out today but I don’t want to do it until she is back to herself since my other hen is keen to prove she is the alpha hen.

Good that she's eating and drinking......pooping well too?
You only have the two birds?
Best if you can keep an isolated bird where the flock can see them,
can make reintegration much easier.
Might even let her out an hour before roost time to stretch her legs,
then crate her back up off the roost after dark if you feel it's necessary.

 

[aart]

his hen I will probably put out in the dog crate in the coop so as to not be gone too long. Should I wait for her to lay an egg prior to releasing her? She still just isn’t herself. Her poops are not what I would call normal, they are still mostly liquid and yellowish with some white. No brown yet.

If she's in a crate I'd put her out there at least for a few hours.
I'd not feed a bunch of different stuff until her poops solidify,
just her regular feed and the calcium.
Don't want to complicate matters.
Check to make sure her crop is full and night, then is empty in the morning before giving her feed and water. There could be something else gong on here.

 

[Peppercorngal]

How’s Toes doing?

Thanks for asking. She is acting like nothing ever happened. Happily scratching, pecking, eating and pooping just like normal. If I didn't see it happen, I wouldn't have thunk it happened! She is my totally happy girl! And she did lay a normal egg today. Chickens are funny, I was lucky. How is your hen doing? Better I hope.

 

[HippieAtHeart]

Thanks for asking. She is acting like nothing ever happened. Happily scratching, pecking, eating and pooping just like normal. If I didn't see it happen, I wouldn't have thunk it happened! She is my totally happy girl! And she did lay a normal egg today. Chickens are funny, I was lucky. How is your hen doing? Better I hope.

She seems to be doing wel, I have her another tums tab and let her out with the others. There was a little pecking at her but they seem back to normal now. I’m just going to be keeping an eye on her today and tomorrow.

 

[aart]

She seems to be doing well, her poop had solidified. I checked her crop and it was all good. How long do chickens take to re-establish their pecking order?

Good!
Hard to say, can go smooth or not.
Keep an eye at first to see if you need to 'intervene' with some of the basic integration techniques.
Best of cLuck!

 

[HippieAtHeart]

I meant to say should I give her tums*

 

[Peppercorngal]

The crushed egg shell seem to not be enough calcium for her. You should give oyster shell in a separate bowl at all times. I don't know why you isolated her for laying an "off" egg. She is not ill and it will cause integration issues later when you try to put her back. Or did I not read your post correctly?