straining during egg laying

[artsyrobin]

I have a d'uccle banty, ten months old, and she has a real hard time laying eggs- more like a human that is constipated- she wimpers and puffs- she gets layer crumbles- is there any other suppliment she might need?? last week i had to give her a warm bath and lubricate the vent for her to pass the egg....

 

[AmyBella]

Does she have oyster shell available for calcium? Are her eggs normal or soft shelled? How long has she been laying and has she ever laid normally? Just a few questions.

I was advised to give one crushed up "Tums" to my girl when she was egg-bound with soft-shelled eggs. My chickens have oyster shell served free choice, but for some reason she either wasn't eating it or has greater calcium needs than the others. I also gave her some cod liver oil for vitamin D as it can help with calcium utilisation.

 

[artsyrobin]

Thanks- no she has never really gotten into regular egg laying, might go a couple weeks then surprise me, will get some tums and oyster shell. Feel so sorry for her, she will hop in my lap and just try to relax

here is a pic of her first egg, seemed large for a banty...

the shell strength is normal, not soft.

 

[AmyBella]

She's soooo pretty!

I bet she will get the hang of it. From what I have read and experienced it can take a couple of months before they really settle in to laying. In my teeny flock I had the egg-bound girl with the soft shells, another laying off of the roost at night, and every few days for a month there was a HUGE double yolk egg. (Like, I would see it and think "Ouch... How is that possible?")

Calcium makes up the egg shell and it also helps relax the muscles so they can pass the egg. (Too much calcium might show up as lumpy eggshells) If she were my bird, I would also give her a couple of drops of iron free poly-vi-sol kid's vitamins and/or Vitamin D and fish oil. I hope that one of the more experienced members will chime in about this!

 

[LynneP]

Assuming her diet is fine, she might benefit from wome wild bird suet. It's good for skin and feathercoat and moistens the egg chute too. Be sure she is not excluded from the water source by other hens. I agree- that does look like a large egg for a banty...oh my...