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?

 

[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?

 

[HippieAtHeart]

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?

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?

 

[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]

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

Thank you, I looked at the passed shell and it seems like it would all fit together to make a full “egg”. I went to make up her cage a little better and she pooped while I was doing that which was white and looked like with it egg whites. I have a picture attached of that and of how she has been standing. If you or anyone else knows, should I be trying to check her vent for remaining shell pieces and then administering an antibiotic or just let it be?

 

[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.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I now have a hen with the same problem! When I opened the coop this morning my hen "Toes" was on the 7 ft roost and I could see shell hanging from her vent. Other hens came in that coop and started pecking at the egg remains on the floor. She knew the shell was there and pooped and pulsed her vent to remove it. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera at the time. I asked her to come down so I could help her but she refused. Later I went back out with my camera and found her in a nesting box!? She is a Delaware and I bought 4 girls from a neighbor that moved. I've lost one to reproductive issues already. She is acting very normal, I can see her crop has food in it and she is not distressed at all. I'll let her be.

She is named toes for the toenail deformity that she has.

 

[HippieAtHeart]

I now have a hen with the same problem! When I opened the coop this morning my hen "Toes" was on the 7 ft roost and I could see shell hanging from her vent. Other hens came in that coop and started pecking at the egg remains on the floor. She knew the shell was there and pooped and pulsed her vent to remove it. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera at the time. I asked her to come down so I could help her but she refused. Later I went back out with my camera and found her in a nesting box!? She is a Delaware and I bought 4 girls from a neighbor that moved. I've lost one to reproductive issues already. She is acting very normal, I can see her crop has food in it and she is not distressed at all. I'll let her be.

She is named toes for the toenail deformity that she has.

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Oh man, sorry to hear one of your chickens is dealing with this now too! Poor thing I think her name is adorable though, I have a rooster I got named Stumpy because he is missing half a toe and it took me a few days to realize so I kept trying to figure out why they would have named him that lol.
I gave my hen an epsom salt bath earlier, more so to clean underneath her vent as it was covered in dripping and whatever else. I plan on giving her another calcium tablet tomorrow morning and then putting her back out with the other chickens since she is drinking and eating. She still doesn’t seem quite herself and she hasn’t sat down but I know she doesn’t have anymore she’ll left in her because what she passed was a full shells worth. I want her to be okay, she is by far the most fun hen to watch as she is the alpha, sometimes I wonder more than my rooster lol

 

[HippieAtHeart]

This morning my hen still looked pretty hunched and standing with her comb still flopped over. I did check her vent for any remaining shell and couldn’t feel anything. There was also no egg in there. I gave her another tab of tums this morning as well. 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. hopefully she enjoyed the oyster shell and has an egg today and feels better!