Two eggs in one hour - help!

[Wyorp Rock]

Our girls are almost one year old, and today we had the weirdest experience. Our Easter egger looked strange. At first we thought she was egg bound or had diarrhea. I even went to get epson salt to prepare! Then she laid an egg outside, and looked better. Standing up straight and preening. Less than an hour later it happened again. This time with a shell-less egg. She’s had weird runny/foamy poop but I wasn’t sure if it’s because she was trying to push so much. She’s the only one who is somewhat molting.

Our girls have never been sick - we’ve been so lucky! Is this a bacterial infection? Molting strangeness? Help??View attachment 4088581View attachment 4088582View attachment 4088585

Thank you! Yes, we noticed she started molting (or so we thought) under her vent. Our other girls haven’t shown any signs of molting.

She’s always been a little different. She’s laid a fairy egg once, and then a double yolk. She’s the only one that we regularly see those extra calcium deposits on the eggshells.

Earlier this week she laid an egg while roosting, and then a second one later on in the day. That shell was intact but definitely softer.

Would calcium citrate help get her back to “normal” or will she have issues going forward?

She may be getting plucked if she's losing feathers under the vent. Look her over for lice/mites while you're at it.

I'd get the Extra Calcium into her for 7 days, see if that helps.
Some hens and pullets can have an irregular cycle or some other reproductive issue and may always have some problems with production.

If possible, get a fecal float to rule out worms as being part of the problem since they can affect production as well as nutrient absorption.

 

[Yardmom]

When I read the initial post, I got the impression this hen was a lot younger. I'm afraid this is not a beginner glitch. I hope I'm not correct, but be prepared for her to continue to have reproductive issues.

 

[dearmeghann]

As for the molting, you say it's only around the vent? That sounds more like feather picking than molting. That's a common spot for feather picking.

@WingItRanch brings up a good point. If it is feather pecking by other birds, WHY are they puckung? Could this bird have lice or mites around the vent that the other birds are pecking at? Check carefully! They move very fast.

She may be getting plucked if she's losing feathers under the vent. Look her over for lice/mites while you're at it.

I went in this morning, unless they’re super hard to see, I can’t find any real signs of mites/lice. Or maybe she had them but they don’t look like the other pictures online. However, I’m now wondering if we neglected a dirty bottom. She’s notorious for pooping on her fluffy bottom feathers. We provide a dust bath, but noticed they’ve been dust bathing in our run (pine pellets turned to saw dust.)

When I went in this morning, she has a bare spot (not around her vent… I was mistaken.) and clumps of the saw dust. Is there a preferred method of cleaning her up?

Thank y’all for helping us! I feel so bad for her

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I went in this morning, unless they’re super hard to see, I can’t find any real signs of mites/lice. Or maybe she had them but they don’t look like the other pictures online. However, I’m now wondering if we neglected a dirty bottom. She’s notorious for pooping on her fluffy bottom feathers. We provide a dust bath, but noticed they’ve been dust bathing in our run (pine pellets turned to saw dust.)

When I went in this morning, she has a bare spot (not around her vent… I was mistaken.) and clumps of the saw dust. Is there a preferred method of cleaning her up?

Thank y’all for helping us! I feel so bad for her
View attachment 4088962View attachment 4088967

Looks like she just has some poop and debris on the feathers. I'd clean it off.

 

[dearmeghann]

So far, I think we're lucky. No signs of lash egg or any eggs that burst inside of her. She laid a fun tie-dye egg on Saturday, it seemed fairly normal.

Do you have any recommendations/articles for reproductive issues in hens? I want to make sure we do our research in case this ends up being a recurring issue for her.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So far, I think we're lucky. No signs of lash egg or any eggs that burst inside of her. She laid a fun tie-dye egg on Saturday, it seemed fairly normal.

Do you have any recommendations/articles for reproductive issues in hens? I want to make sure we do our research in case this ends up being a recurring issue for her.

Thank you all for your help!

Glad she's doing better.

For articles/information, you'd have to research each one, there's quite a bit of info out there. A good place to start would be Merk Vet Manual.

 

[Bawkbok]

Is there a preferred method of cleaning her up?

I try to avoid soaking them if at all possible as it's stressful. Instead, to clean dirty feathers, use paper towels soaked in warm Dawn dish soap water. Clean the feathers as best you can. If there is poop stuck to her skin, I have found using a Q-tip dipped in mineral oil easily rubs off stuck on goo and also lubricates the skin at the same time. After you've cleaned her up, and her feathers dry a bit, trim them short to avoid the problem. Some chickens don't squat low enough or their bottoms are too fluffy and continue to get dirty feathers. When laying down, this can cause bacteria to back up into their vent. If your temps are cool, you may want to dry her with a blow dryer if you get her feathers too soaked. Use the low heat setting.
I hope her egg issues resolve but production hybrids are prone to reproductive issues that seem to plague them for life once they start. Best of luck.

 

[dearmeghann]

Our olive egger has a prolapse today. When it rain, it pours. Does that mean there might be an infection going around?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Our olive egger has a prolapse today. When it rain, it pours. Does that mean there might be an infection going around?

What are you feeding, including treats?
Do they have oyster shell free choice?

How bad is the prolapse, do you have photos?

It doesn't necessarily mean you have infection in the flock.

For Prolapse, give the hen Extra Calcium asap. Follow the instructions in this article.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ng-from-vent-prolapse-oh-my-what-to-do.76124/

 

[dearmeghann]

What are you feeding, including treats?
Do they have oyster shell free choice?

How bad is the prolapse, do you have photos?

It doesn't necessarily mean you have infection in the flock.

For Prolapse, give the hen Extra Calcium asap. Follow the instructions in this article.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ng-from-vent-prolapse-oh-my-what-to-do.76124/

The more I've thought about the last two weeks, the more I'm wondering if we accidentally messed up their diets. And then stressed them out. Forgive me - this is a long one.

We had a few 80 degree days last week, and I was giving them a lot more treats (blueberries, kale, lettuce, spinach). I also started giving them crushed eggshells for the first time.

Since then, our EE laid twice in an hour. She's laid a complete egg since but is still not back to her normal cycle. She's had at least two days of calcium supplement pills. No signs of infection or lash eggs, though!

On Saturday afternoon, we moved them into their new coop - terrible timing! I lured them in with more blueberries, kale, and scrambled eggs.

Then, a few days later (Tuesday), our Olive Egger prolapsed. We gave her an Epsom salt soak and coaxed the prolapse back in. It was healthy - no necrosis and wasn't pecked at. It took a few tries to get the prolapse back in. Within an hour or so, she laid an egg with a very thin shell. That seemed to help, she looks a bit swollen, but nothing bulging out. We used witch hazel wipes and gave her a calcium pill. Today, she's not lethargic. Seems to be interested in eating and drinking.

I have noticed our BCM's eggs are a little rough. Our other two are regularly laying. Yesterday was the first day we didn't have a legit egg (besides Olive's thin shell).

We always keep oyster shells available. We switched it out and deep cleaned the dish just in case water got in and they're not using it. We also have crushed eggshells available.

We feed them Kalmbach 17% layer crumbles, and Henhouse Reserve. We're providing clean water, and water mixed with Wellness Brew or Nutridrench. (just got Nutridrench last week, still not sure if we should just use that orally instead of in water.)

We also have been smelling more chlorine in our water - so we've been using filtered water just in case that might be messing up their gut health.

I'm so thankful for everyone's help and continued guidance! I would never have thought to get calcium pills. It's so easy to give them!