Weird laying issue

Engine823

Songster
5 Years
Jul 19, 2017
136
166
151
Hello friends i have a 1-2 year old isa brown laying hen. Up until 2 days ago she has been the most active and healthy hen in the flock. She acted good all day that day and had laid that morning. Around 3 pm I noticed she wasn't with the other hens. I searched for her and found her in the coop in the nest. Didn't think a lot about it then but when I went to lock them up later I found her still sitting there.
I forced her to get up and discovered yolk only under her.
She has been eating and drinking ok but you can tell she is not herself. Stays with the flock mostly but slower.
Yesterday she sat in the nest but didn't lay and no yolk or anything.
Today I found yolk in the bedding under the perch. The yolk was covering this thing. My wife instantly said it looked like an egg.
I've been giving her probiotic and electrolytes in their water. A half low dose aspiin daily for possible pain and also 3 cc of poultry cell vitiman for chickens daily.
What are we looking at here? Internal laying? Will this continue or maybe correct itself now that the egg has been passed?
Thanks
 

Attachments

  • 1521390271499-363902263.jpg
    1521390271499-363902263.jpg
    452.1 KB · Views: 20
  • 20180318_121552.jpg
    20180318_121552.jpg
    391.5 KB · Views: 20
  • 20180318_121552.jpg
    20180318_121552.jpg
    391.5 KB · Views: 21
  • 1521390410790-1449418518.jpg
    1521390410790-1449418518.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 21
Looks like a malformed or soft-shelled egg. Could just be a glitch in the system which may not happen again, or could be a sign of reproductive problems. Isa browns are bred for prolific laying and reproductive issues are not uncommon. If it is spring where you are then sometimes that triggers their laying into high drive mode which can cause glitches. Sometimes birds coming back into lay after a winter off will have glitches as their systems get back into regularity. If she seems to be doing better then I'd just keep an eye on her to see if it happens again, often they will perk up after passing this. If she still seems pretty ill then I'd start looking at probably reproductive problems.
 
I've had this happen a few times with my ISA hens. It could be an infection. Most probably it is just a phase. Make sure she has a good quality layers pellet and grit and oyster shell on the side. She should be fine but it may take a couple of weeks to sort itself out. You could also put a calcium additive in the water if she's not eating shell. The feed should have enough calcium in it anyway. A electrolyte or mineral boost would also be beneficial as egg laying does take ALOT out of these hens.
 
I agree a reproductive problem is a strong possibility. So you’ve seen two yolks, but only one membrane? Is an avian Vet an option if it doesn’t sort itself out soon? Does she have access to oyster shell and issheon a complete feed ration?
Yes she has oyster shell available and she is on a 18 percent layer pellet
 
Well Sara's health has improved and she is really turning on with the other hens.
However I am not 100 % sure but I don't believe she has laid since she had this egg issue.
She is our pet so I'm glad she is feeling better but surprised she has at least so far stopped laying
 
I had two thoughts when I saw the item you photographed....

First thought was that it was a very small lash egg and she may be developing Salpingitis
Second, that it was the membrane from a shell less egg that had got dried out and discoloured.

Laying shell less eggs is really hard work for them..... much harder than laying a normal egg. They can strain for hours at a time to push it out and it really knocks them for six. Sometimes it is a glitch which sorts itself out and sometimes it is dietary and other times it is a malfunction of the shell gland which doesn't resolve. If you feed them any treats, cut them out so that she just has layer pellets and give her a direct dose of calcium supplement like calcium citrate or calcium gluconate for a few days.

It is concerning that she has not laid any more eggs as that makes me lean more towards Salpingitis. In the early stages, that may respond to antibiotics, but once it gets a hold it usually proves fatal after a few weeks. I would monitor her on a daily basis for any swelling between her legs or around her vent and any further straining or any more odd expulsions.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom