WHAT IS GOING ON?!

[TheBirdBabe]

Earlier one if my hens was acting sort of sleepy. She is usually a little jerk & tries to attack me (to the extent of spurring me) or "shuffles" around me. I thought it was odd that she wasn't being rude, instead she came & sat on the arm of my chair.

A bit later she moved to a tree they all like to nap on in the evenings. I happened to look over & slime was coming from her tail. I watched for a good minute or two & it ended up looking like she was going to lay an egg. This is what came out instead.

We've been having some weird eggs lately (I've chalked it up to them having to be penned up again, being abused by the roos or even that time of the year again) but is this a sign of low calcium? I've never seen that much slime from a chicken before!

 

[ChickNanny13]

That's a soft shelled egg, was it just the "shell" or did it break open upon landing?
What are you feeding?
How old is she?
It happens occasionally with new layers, and it's safer to add Oyster Shells to their diet (separate dish, not mixed in feed).

The "slime" is probable the egg white, check her vent area, do you any dripping from there? Hopefully the egg didn't break in her, which can cause a very serious infection internally, requiring antibiotics.

Reproductive issues:
Egg Ascites - tetracycline
Egg Bound - warm soak in Epsom Salt, Tums smashsed & keep in dark room, humidity, feel for egg w/ glove *****Suprelorin Implants ******
Egg Peritonitis - Tums, Calcium Citrate w/D3, Calcium Carbonate w/D3
Egg Salpingitis/Lash Egg - Baytril, Fish Mox, Enrofloxacin, Amoxicillin
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[TheBirdBabe]

That's a soft shelled egg, was it just the "shell" or did it break open upon landing?
What are you feeding?
How old is she?
It happens occasionally with new layers, and it's safer to add Oyster Shells to their diet (separate dish, not mixed in feed).

The "slime" is probable the egg white, check her vent area, do you any dripping from there? Hopefully the egg didn't break in her, which can cause a very serious infection internally, requiring antibiotics.

Reproductive issues:
Egg Ascites - tetracycline
Egg Bound - warm soak in Epsom Salt, Tums smashsed & keep in dark room, humidity, feel for egg w/ glove *****Suprelorin Implants ******
Egg Peritonitis - Tums, Calcium Citrate w/D3, Calcium Carbonate w/D3
Egg Salpingitis/Lash Egg - Baytril, Fish Mox, Enrofloxacin, Amoxicillin
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

She is 1 year as of a few months ago. I've been giving them a food that I mix on my own (layer, cracked corn, sunflower seeds, veg. oil & scratch) & she's actually one of .y best layers!

It actually broke when it landed. It rolled down the side of the (sideways) tree that they perch on & caught the bark. She's also an egg eater & went after it thinking it was an easy meal. lol

I may have to give her some "special" meal worms. Last year I gave them some meal worms that I tossed in a bit of veg oil & then tossed in some eggshell powder.. for a but of a "fried" effect!

 

[TheBirdBabe]

That's a soft shelled egg, was it just the "shell" or did it break open upon landing?
What are you feeding?
How old is she?
It happens occasionally with new layers, and it's safer to add Oyster Shells to their diet (separate dish, not mixed in feed).

The "slime" is probable the egg white, check her vent area, do you any dripping from there? Hopefully the egg didn't break in her, which can cause a very serious infection internally, requiring antibiotics.

Reproductive issues:
Egg Ascites - tetracycline
Egg Bound - warm soak in Epsom Salt, Tums smashsed & keep in dark room, humidity, feel for egg w/ glove *****Suprelorin Implants ******
Egg Peritonitis - Tums, Calcium Citrate w/D3, Calcium Carbonate w/D3
Egg Salpingitis/Lash Egg - Baytril, Fish Mox, Enrofloxacin, Amoxicillin
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

That's a soft shelled egg, was it just the "shell" or did it break open upon landing?
What are you feeding?
How old is she?
It happens occasionally with new layers, and it's safer to add Oyster Shells to their diet (separate dish, not mixed in feed).

The "slime" is probable the egg white, check her vent area, do you any dripping from there? Hopefully the egg didn't break in her, which can cause a very serious infection internally, requiring antibiotics.

Reproductive issues:
Egg Ascites - tetracycline
Egg Bound - warm soak in Epsom Salt, Tums smashsed & keep in dark room, humidity, feel for egg w/ glove *****Suprelorin Implants ******
Egg Peritonitis - Tums, Calcium Citrate w/D3, Calcium Carbonate w/D3
Egg Salpingitis/Lash Egg - Baytril, Fish Mox, Enrofloxacin, Amoxicillin
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

Ah! I just had a look at the article as well & it said this can happen with high temps & humidity... which we've been experiencing lately! Do you know, will laying habits go back to normal once they get used to the temperature? Or should I try & cool them off more?

 

[nuthatched]

that I mix on my own (layer, cracked corn, sunflower seeds, veg. oil & scratch

Cracked corn, Sunflower seeds, veg.oil and scratch is obscenely high in fat and carbs. The egg quality is failing because that much fat blocks calcium absorption, not to mention, causes fatty liver, heart issues and a bunch of other issues. Parents down to just layer or just a higher protein feed with shell on the side. Fruits, veggies and protein treats are great in moderation.

 

[galanie]

When there's a soft egg like this or a broken egg they're all "egg eaters." That egg will never hatch and they just take advantage of the extra nutrients and calories, that's the way chickens are.
I have had chickens and just gave them eggs that I busted right out there on the ground in front of them and watched them eat it up, shell and all. But no one ever bothered an unbroken egg. After eating eggs I'd broken for years, they would see me with one egg in hand and follow me, knowing I was about to break it for them. If I didn't, but rather just laid it on the ground, they'd look it over then look back at me as if to say, "now lets have one I can eat." Never in 14 years had a for real "egg eater."

 

[3KillerBs]

I've been giving them a food that I mix on my own (layer, cracked corn, sunflower seeds, veg. oil & scratch) & she's actually one of .y best layers!

Since layer is already minimal in it's nutritional quality (being designed for the needs of commercial caged layers for their single-season laying life), adding this other stuff to it is almost certainly detrimental to the flock's health and contributing to laying problems.

@U_Stormcrow has a spreadsheet with the nutritional information for various feed ingredients to help people who home mix feed.

You would probably do best to immediately put your flock onto a 20% all-flock with oystershell on the side and NO TREATS.

 

[TheBirdBabe]

Since layer is already minimal in it's nutritional quality (being designed for the needs of commercial caged layers for their single-season laying life), adding this other stuff to it is almost certainly detrimental to the flock's health and contributing to laying problems.

@U_Stormcrow has a spreadsheet with the nutritional information for various feed ingredients to help people who home mix feed.

You would probably do best to immediately put your flock onto a 20% all-flock with oystershell on the side and NO TREATS.

I do have a 20% feed! I will empty their food dishes & switch them to that immediately.

Would veggies also be considered a treat? I either give them cucumbers, butternut squash or watermelon once every few days.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes, anything not their complete commercial feed is a treat. Cucumbers and watermelon, due to the moisture content and electrolytes are both very popular with birds during the summer months, and very popular with bird owners because they are relatively easy to grow and their high water content means its very difficult to imbalance a diet with them.

My own birds love squash and gourds of all sorts, but some have reported difficulty with the "harder" ones. I typically stick to the aforementioned melons, cukes, zucc, summer squish and avoid the more typically "winter" varieties.

 

[Chicken poppy]

This comment really makes me want to never ask a question again. Think about how you word things. We're all learning all the time. I saw something that was working for someone else & decided to give it a try.. I obviously heard constructive criticism farther up the thread. Leave it at that & stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

Im so sorry you feel that way, i understand its upsetting, we are all learning, but you should also know that people are just trying to further educate you more, and give you right advice.

Hope your birds are okay, and continue to be. I have had a soft shell from my serama darling, just once. Its quite disturbing to find.