Young hen

[AnneBishop]

I have two young Brahma hens. One has been laying eggs for about two months. The other one has laid three eggs that I know of two were soft and one regular egg. For the past few weeks she lays on the nest or different spots in the yard and seems like she is going to lay but does not. Her tail is down all of the time. Is this normal?

 

[azygous]

No it's not. Your hen may be having a stuck egg event. Since it's gone on for so long, she may be beyond help, but it's worth a try.

The "soft" eggs are a big clue to her troubles. Eggs without shells get stuck far more often than normal eggs with shells. It's a simple physical fact that it requires more energy and stronger contractions to move a flexible object down the chute.

To encourage strong contractions, she needs a dose of concentrated calcium. I recommend calcium citrate from the vitamin aisle in the pharmacy section of the store. One tablet immediately and one each day until she resolves her crisis.

It may help to put her in a crate on moist heat. I use a heating pad under a warm, damp towel. Supply her with food and plenty of fresh water, and leave her in peace, checking on her every now and then.

Has there been any sign of yolk coming from her vent? You will need to watch for egg membrane to come out. If it's collapsed, she will need an antibiotic as infection may have already begun.