What's up with my EE? NEED HELP HERE PLEASE!!!

[mrbstephens]

My 10 month old EE slowed her egg production the last couple of months. She started up again a couple of weeks ago then just this week stopped again. I'm seeing her in the nesting box everyday for the past week. Yesterday she was looking kinda out of it while in her nesting box. I took her out and saw she was sitting on two eggs that were not hers. I put her back in and she walked away. When she's walking around her rear end is almost constantly pulsating and had been concerned that she may be egg bound. She walks around just fine, eats, drinks and acts normal otherwise. I did notice that her rear end is a little bare like she's being pecked. I also noticed one other hen with a balding butt. I don't see feathers anywhere in the coop so I think they must be eating them. Not surprising since the amount of protein available is slim other than what they get from their feed. There's been snow covering the ground since December making it close to impossible for them to find any bugs. So, what's up with this EE? Just practicing? Broody? I thought EEs didn't go broody. Thanks for any help.

 

[FortWorthChicks]

It does sound like she could be eggbound. If her vent is showing pink she could be being pecked too. If they are pecking and eating feathers they need some protein. Give them some left over meat or a bit of cat food.

I would take the hen out that is acting weird, feel her to see if you can feel an egg stuck. If so maybe give her a warm sink of water to sit in and maybe relax it out.

Bump.

 

[teach1rusl]

Well...the rear end pulsating a lot makes me think possibly egg bound too. It sounds as if she's trying to get something out. Mine has done that on occasion (for an hour or so...not for a long time), and it's always resulted in a soft shelled or shelless egg when she's acted that way. But you haven't found any around in the bedding or anywhere???
I agree with separating her so that you can observe better. Now, my EE does spend a decent amount of time in the nest box, sometimes even just sitting on the wooden egg in there. I'm hoping that's not a sign that she'll go broody easily. If you can't feel anything back there, and she's eating, drinking, and behaving normally, I'd just keep an eye one her. Don't know what else to do...????

 

[mrbstephens]

The pulsating seems to subside after she's left the nest. Maybe she is laying soft shelled eggs somewhere and maybe even eating them? Like I said, she's acting normal most of the time expect for when she's in the nesting box. Eating, drinking, walking around.......She's always been a little slow compared to the others. She has a few crooked toes, but doesn't seem to affect her walking too much. She's always the last out of the hen house. I think she may just be "special."

 

[mrbstephens]

I looked at her butt today. There are small scabs where the feathers had been and I see feathers coming in here and there. I felt her abdomen and didn't feel anything there. After I put her down my other EE who is the head hen started picking on her and then the rooster too. Poor thing! I also think the winter is getting to them and picking on each other is helping to keep them entertained. Chickens................

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

could she be laying somewhere else?

 

[mrbstephens]

Quote:
Nope. With the snow the way it's been she barely even leaves the chicken coop.

 

[mrbstephens]

She's in the nesting box again........she was on an egg until I took it from her. She's not growling or trying to bite me. She's just SITTING. Every day she goes in there for an hour or two and comes out with no egg left behind. Starting to WORRY. Like I said, I didn't feel anything in her abdomen. Is it because she's being picked on??? HELP!

 

[mrbstephens]

I just checked on her again. Pulled her out of the nesting box and felt her abdomen. Definitely nothing there. I put her back in the run with the others and she went right along scratching, eating and drinking. ANYONE have anything for me???

 

[Soccer Mom]

If she is being picked on, she may be hiding out in the nestbox. No one can pick at your butt if you're sitting on it!