Hen with egg laying issues?

[moniquem]

I have a 1 year old EE. I feed Purina layena pellets-they have been getting treats which I have cut out of their diet altogether.

Anyway....last Friday when I got home from work I noticed my EE straining a bit, I watched her mope around the run, straining for about 20 minutes, she then laid an egg with a thin shell, it actually bounced when it fell on the ground. She then started pecking around, eating and acting normally. I didn't expect her to lay on Saturday and by that night she was straining again. I waited, they all went to bed.

Next morning, Sunday, she had runny egg stuff coming out of her vent-she was still hunched over. I decided to soak her in a warm epsom bath and give her some tums. While doing this I pulled out a thin, squished, very soft egg shell out of her. She was very lethargic, appetite low- she wouldn't even eat any treats. By the afternoon though she perked up and was eating, preening, dust bathing and acting normally.

Monday night after work more hunching over, although nothing was "leaking" out of her vent. I scrambled up some egg with the shell and she was not interested at all. I soaked her again and gave her some tums. I expected her to be gone in the morning.

She is NOT gone and has been acting pretty normal, doing all the chicken things except...laying eggs. She did go in the nest box yesterday and today but no eggs.

Is there something else I should be doing? Or just cross my fingers and hope for the best?

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

I would put a side bowl of Oyster Shell close to feeder.

 

[moniquem]

I would put a side bowl of Oyster Shell close to feeder.

Done and done...

Just let all the girls out of the coop, cleaned the droppings and no funky eggs. She is acting normal today. She just went over to her favorite hangout in the yard and chased down a huge cricket, dropped it and won the treasure scuffle, as I like to call it. She is so quick!

I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens. Today will be a week since I pulled out that broken shell, maybe her little body is recovering and honestly if she never lays another egg again it will be fine, I just want her to be happy and healthy.

 

[aart]

they have been getting treats which I have cut out of their diet altogether.

When did you stop the treats?

 

[moniquem]

I stopped the treats last Friday night when she layed the "bouncy" soft egg.

 

[aart]

I stopped the treats last Friday night when she layed the "bouncy" soft egg.

Might take some time...a week or so...but you knew that.

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

Forgot to mention to watch for infection, since you mentioned she had runny egg like stuff coming out of the vent. She starts acting off, I'd get her on an antibiotic. Not sure which one to have on hand but others can tell you and what dosage.
Glad to hear she is acting normal.

 

[moniquem]

She starts acting off, I'd get her on an antibiotic.

I am lucky enough to manage a vet clinic where one of our new vets recently started up her flock again. I do have some injectable baytril, or enrofloxacin, on hand that she recommended in case I need it. I'm a bit reluctant because she is acting so normal, other than the non-egg laying.

This morning she is up to her old antics, like trying to escape the chicken yard, making a rucus until she gets treats-which I am not giving anymore....She is eyeballing the nest box again so we shall see what happens!

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

I am lucky enough to manage a vet clinic where one of our new vets recently started up her flock again. I do have some injectable baytril, or enrofloxacin, on hand that she recommended in case I need it. I'm a bit reluctant because she is acting so normal, other than the non-egg laying.

This morning she is up to her old antics, like trying to escape the chicken yard, making a rucus until she gets treats-which I am not giving anymore....She is eyeballing the nest box again so we shall see what happens!

That is great, always nice when you have a vet clinic there to help! Our Vet also does chickens.
Hope she lays a hard shelled egg. I give treats maybe once every couple months. Summer when we do get a few days of high heat, I give them frozen strawberries, watermelon or cantaloupe.

 

[aart]

I am lucky enough to manage a vet clinic where one of our new vets recently started up her flock again. I do have some injectable baytril, or enrofloxacin, on hand that she recommended in case I need it. I'm a bit reluctant because she is acting so normal, other than the non-egg laying.

Great!!
Anyone there know how to do poultry fecals and/or swabs to be sent to a lab??
Testing would make choosing any med regimes more accurate/efficient.