1-yr Old Hen Laying Soft-Shelled Eggs Off Roost at Night. Also Lethargic and Reduced Appetite

[dc95123]

I have a Golden Comet hen that is normally a good, consistent layer.

In the last couple of days I've been finding soft-shelled eggs on the poop tray below where she roosts. On one occasion this week she did lay in the nesting box, but it was a white, speckled, small egg that is quite different to the large brown eggs she normally lays.

Her appetite has also reduced, she is a bit lethargic during the day and is early to roost. However her comb is red and her eyes, nose and vent don't show any signs of illness.

There is some diarrhea in the run but I'm not sure if it is hers. All my hens seem to get a spot of it from time-to-time.

She also presented all these symptoms a month ago. When it happened I wormed my flock and she slowly returned to normal. I gave her a 2nd worming treatment today, but I'm wondering if this is really the problem?

 

[Eggcessive]

What are you worming your flock with? What dosage? Most wormers such as Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer should be given and followed with a second dose in 10 days to get the worm larvae that hatched. Safeguard is also sometimes given for 5 consecutive days to get the more difficult worms, such as capillary or gapeworm.

Is she close to molting age? Does she eat layer feed and have access to crushed oyster shell? Have you ever seen frequent sneezing or a respiratory disease such as infectious bronchitis symptoms in your chickens? IB virus can cause egg shell problems. Hens going into or coming out of molt might have an occasional soft egg. Reproductive infection or inflammation might also be a cause.

When soft egg shells are a problem, I would recommend giving a human calcium tablet with D3 for 3-4 days, to see if it makes a difference.

 

[dc95123]

What are you worming your flock with? What dosage? Most wormers such as Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer should be given and followed with a second dose in 10 days to get the worm larvae that hatched. Safeguard is also sometimes given for 5 consecutive days to get the more difficult worms, such as capillary or gapeworm.

Is she close to molting age? Does she eat layer feed and have access to crushed oyster shell? Have you ever seen frequent sneezing or a respiratory disease such as infectious bronchitis symptoms in your chickens? IB virus can cause egg shell problems. Hens going into or coming out of molt might have an occasional soft egg. Reproductive infection or inflammation might also be a cause.

When soft egg shells are a problem, I would recommend giving a human calcium tablet with D3 for 3-4 days, to see if it makes a difference.

Thank you for your response.

She is being wormed with Kilvern. I gave my flock of three 8ml mixed with 125ml of water. There were no instructions recommending follow-up treatment. Nonetheless, I'll worm them again in a week.

There is no evidence of molting. She is 1 year, 2 months I believe.

They eat mostly layer feed with occasional scratch and kitchen scraps. There is no oyster shell in their diet but I had assumed there was sufficient calcium in the layer feed they eat.

There are no respiratory symptoms in the flock.

I'm concerned that there is a reproductive system issue, is there something I can do to check?

There is a vet that might take a look at her but I don't think he is available until next week.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give the human calcium tablets for a few days which should be found at a pharmacy or where you get vitamins. Do any friends or relatives take calcium supplements? If none of your other hens have shell issues, it may be a problem absorbing the calcium, a shell gland issue in the oviduct, stress in the flock, or something else. A vet familiar with chickens might be a help.

 

[dc95123]

I would give the human calcium tablets for a few days which should be found at a pharmacy or where you get vitamins. Do any friends or relatives take calcium supplements? If none of your other hens have shell issues, it may be a problem absorbing the calcium, a shell gland issue in the oviduct, stress in the flock, or something else. A vet familiar with chickens might be a help.

Thank you, I will give the sick hen some calcium tablets and will start adding oyster shell into my flock's feed. If she doesn't improve over the weekend I suppose I'll have to take her to the vet.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I have a Isa brown that did the same thing for about 6 months off and on. Lethargic soft shell or shell- less one time . I read it's common in production breeds. I would do calcium to be on safe side. I have a litter mate that has never done it! So IMO it's pbly not worm related.

@Eggcessive

should she just do a poop check with vet?

 

[dc95123]

Just an update for everyone.

Her normal health has returned, but she has stopped laying eggs even though I'm seeing her in the nest box at least once a day. I don't think she is egg bound as she shows no symptoms and has been like this for almost a week.

I'm hoping she will start laying again soon as she had been my best layer before this bout of illness.

I've given all the hens some shell grit which they seem to eat from time-to-time, added some d. earth to their dust bath and will follow up with a 2nd worming treatment and a coop deep-clean in the coming week just in-case this is parasite related.

I'm starting to think that I just have an odd hen that likes to keep things interesting for me!

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard to tell what is up with hens sometimes. I had an Isa brown once, my best layer, and she was chased and hurt by a neighbor dog. She stopped laying and when she started 3 months later, her eggs were shell-less every day from then on. She died young from a reproductive disorder. I try to do necropsies at home on all of my hens who die, just to have a look at her organs and look for clues.

 

[dc95123]

It is hard to tell what is up with hens sometimes. I had an Isa brown once, my best layer, and she was chased and hurt by a neighbor dog. She stopped laying and when she started 3 months later, her eggs were shell-less every day from then on. She died young from a reproductive disorder. I try to do necropsies at home on all of my hens who die, just to have a look at her organs and look for clues.

That's sad to hear, poor girl!

 

[Binxolsen]

@dc95123 what happened with your girl? I've been going through this on and off with my rir for 4 or 5 months now. She's going to the vet monday