Today I noticed that my white Ameraucana wasn't running to me as she usually did with the rest of the flock. She was sat back on the outskirt of the woods on a fallen tree. It struck me as unusual for her. Two hours later, she was still there. I went to look at her and she didn't seem to move much. I picked her up and all this liquid came from her beak??? No nasel discharge, eyes bright, no ruffled feathers. I decided to bring her in to keep an eye on her so while I was setting up the dog crate, I put her in a part of the coop alone. When I went to get her to bring her in, she had layed a shelless egg (jelly egg I think some folk refer to it as on here). She's been laying for about two weeks now. So.....she is now in my dining room in a dogcrate with Sulmet in her water and food available. She looks fine, not larthargic atall but kind of still, not moving much.....any ideas anyone? This little bird is one of our favorites.
Is she eating? Try a real treat... Scrambled eggs.... Chopped chicken (sorry to those who object) or something that she would normally run to.... Good luck with your lady. With a good caretaker I am sure she will be fine. Others with more brainpower than I will chime in to help I assure you... They are just wrapping presents and such..
My guess? Is your not giving them "insoluble grit". She may have a sour crop. There are two types of grit. "insoluble" Granite and "soluble" oyster shell both are necessary. "Insoluble grit" helps them to "grind" up grasses and grain in the crop. Don't give her anything mushy. Nothing I've read ever says to give them scrambled eggs. This is just advice I've seen here. Not a remedy or cure. Back off on anything but some granite grit if she'll eat it for a day. Give her only some water with a small amount of vitamins. She needs to work what she has in there through her system. At least this is my OP. Rancher
Thanks so much for responding. As for the grit and oyster shell, my chickens free range and have access to the wood at the back of our house, so I haven't given them grit sinse they were chicks in the run, didn't think I needed to. Oyster shell is available at all times. I just went to check in on her and she has layed another jelly egg in the dog crate....this is the second within 4 hours, this one was smaller than the last? is this the problem? She is still bright eyed and responsive. Poop looks fine and can't see anymore watery liquid coming from her beak?
Racher hicks, the hen was by the woods so they obviously free range. In which case she gets all the grit she needs naturally. Eggs are what chickens GROW on from their 1st cell. That's what my vet said to feed (along with alfalfa) when I had some sick birds recently. Don't want to argue, just giving my experience. Edit: the shell-less eggs are just eggs that didn't stay in there long enough for the shell to form. Very common with new layers. Maybe hher crop was full and she'd just gotten some water. I'd let her empty her crop tonight (take food up) to make sure it's emtying. That will rule out sour crop and impacted crop. If she's laid 2 eggs in a short time that's probably why she's off sitting so much. Put her in the dark with a dim nightlight for tonight and a good share of tomorrow, that should stop the laying.
I see some of my chickens drool in the food. Clear fluid runs from the mouth. About a teaspoon worth. I've had 2 of mine impact their crops. So they lost weight too, and were tired. But did get better with treatment. If she is separated, see if her crop is empty in the morning. If it is not, it could be an impaction. I've had one hen get an impacted gizzard. On necropsy, her crop was empty and her gizzard was stuffed with fibrous material, -and no grit. Sadly, I have beach sand for a yard, and not really any grit . I have loads of grit out now. There was nothing I could do for an impacted gizzard. Rancher Hicks is right about the importance of grit. But it lies in the gizzard, not the crop. In the crop you need to keep breaking up that impaction so it can go down. Once her crop is emptying, then grit will be fine.
Just wanted to give anyone interested an update........kept Mary in the house for the night with Sulmet in her water and this morning she seems back to normal, bright eyed, nostrils fine, squawking to get out and no sign of any liquid coming from her beak so I put her back out with the flock. I guess she was just having trouble with laying the two jelly eggs in such a short space of time?
Soft-shelled eggs are really miserable for hens to lay. The body has no hard surface to push on to get the egg out, so it can be very tough on them. I am glad she seems to be through whatever was going on with her. I'd be watching her to make sure she lays some normal eggs before I'd consider her "out of the woods". Two soft-shelled eggs in a row is worrisome. Could just be a fluke, but it could also be indicative of damage to the shell gland. Good luck.
