My DD's favorite hen, Pip, went on egg-laying strike when she went through her first molt last September, over 8 months ago---came through the molt fine but has not laid another egg since, until now.
Pip will be 3 years old next month and has been very healthy until this winter when her former 'friends,' the bantam cochin pullets decided they were jealous of her fine hairdo so they pulled it out leaving her with a bloody head and no feathers. Soo, Pip has been in her own spacious quarters for the past couple of months, doing well, feathers back, etc. but no eggs, until yesterday. She laid one yesterday, and then again today, but I noticed the bloody shell so I checked her out and found her vent looking pretty rough. Swollen a bit, matted feathers, and a bit of a foul (or fowl?) odor, but nothing protruding that would make me think prolapse.
I've been searching BYC and a lot of the posts refer to the issue of being eggbound, and also the common issue with new egg laying pullets having bloody eggs at first...but we've raised Pip since she was a day old chick, and she had laid eggs in the past w/o a problem. Could she be eggbound even though she's obviously laying? Could she have a broken egg in her and yet still send two through?
She seems to be very healthy otherwise but I am concerned. She's a special girl and I'm hoping this is a fluke that will just pass...but I have a feeling it won't be that easy.
My DD did bring her in to sit in a warm bath and get cleaned up--apparently Pip enjoyed the bath so much DD had to hold her head up, she was falling asleep and at risk of drowning!
Any ideas, sugestions,etc. would be very much appreciated. As I said, she is separated from the others so picking isn't a problem but is there anything else we should do? Thanks for your help.
Pip will be 3 years old next month and has been very healthy until this winter when her former 'friends,' the bantam cochin pullets decided they were jealous of her fine hairdo so they pulled it out leaving her with a bloody head and no feathers. Soo, Pip has been in her own spacious quarters for the past couple of months, doing well, feathers back, etc. but no eggs, until yesterday. She laid one yesterday, and then again today, but I noticed the bloody shell so I checked her out and found her vent looking pretty rough. Swollen a bit, matted feathers, and a bit of a foul (or fowl?) odor, but nothing protruding that would make me think prolapse.
I've been searching BYC and a lot of the posts refer to the issue of being eggbound, and also the common issue with new egg laying pullets having bloody eggs at first...but we've raised Pip since she was a day old chick, and she had laid eggs in the past w/o a problem. Could she be eggbound even though she's obviously laying? Could she have a broken egg in her and yet still send two through?
She seems to be very healthy otherwise but I am concerned. She's a special girl and I'm hoping this is a fluke that will just pass...but I have a feeling it won't be that easy.
My DD did bring her in to sit in a warm bath and get cleaned up--apparently Pip enjoyed the bath so much DD had to hold her head up, she was falling asleep and at risk of drowning!
Any ideas, sugestions,etc. would be very much appreciated. As I said, she is separated from the others so picking isn't a problem but is there anything else we should do? Thanks for your help.
