Advice on my observations

[Bluenoser]

Hello, I’m new at all of this. I have a laying hen I am concerned about. Here are my observations so far:

• A bit of her comb is black
• She is 19-22 weeks old and has been in my possession for two weeks
• Her wattles are turning more red
• Her eyes are closed most of the time
• She does clean herself
• She is isolated to prevent from getting pecked
• She is pooping normal
• She needs prompting to eat and drink
• She hasn’t laid any eggs yet

Should I be concerned about anything?

If she is “eggbound” ie. The eggs are not coming out of her, is there a way to tell? If so, how can she be helped to lay her eggs?

Thank you in advance, and bless you!

 

[nuthatched]

Where did you get her? Is she quarantined? It may take several weeks for her to feel comfortable enough to lay

 

[Bluenoser]

Where did you get her? Is she quarantined? It may take several weeks for her to feel comfortable enough to lay

She was ordered from a local feed mill in rural Nova Scotia...she is isolated from the rest but nurtured and loved on and prompted to eat and drink. So should we be concerned? She is being loved on and nurtured and encouraged to eat and drink.

 

[alinas2010]

Did she come to you as a lone hen? She could be nervous because she is alone. It can be a little bit difficult to try to integrate a single hen. Does she have any pecking injuries?

A checklist I go through when one of my girls isn’t acting right:

• Check the crop. How does it feel? Particularly check it first thing in the morning and be sure it is flat.
• What do her poops look like?
• Make sure to give her a good once over for mites and lice.
• Also have you noticed any discharge or bubbles from her eyes or nose?
• Is her throat and beak clear inside? How about ears?
• You can sometimes palpate the abdomen and feel an egg if they’re egg bound. They may also stand bunched up with their tail pointed down. Pics of her could help, maybe of her face/comb since you say it’s a bit purple? The smart people here sometimes pick up on things in photos pretty fast.

 

[Bluenoser]

Did she come to you as a lone hen? She could be nervous because she is alone. It can be a little bit difficult to try to integrate a single hen. Does she have any pecking injuries?

A checklist I go through when one of my girls isn’t acting right:

• Check the crop. How does it feel? Particularly check it first thing in the morning and be sure it is flat.
• What do her poops look like?
• Make sure to give her a good once over for mites and lice.
• Also have you noticed any discharge or bubbles from her eyes or nose?
• Is her throat and beak clear inside? How about ears?
• You can sometimes palpate the abdomen and feel an egg if they’re egg bound. They may also stand bunched up with their tail pointed down. Pics of her could help, maybe of her face/comb since you say it’s a bit purple? The smart people here sometimes pick up on things in photos pretty fast.

Thank you for your prompt reply! I will pass this on to my friend because she has the hens at her place in the country. I will wait for her reply. Thank you so much and bless you!

 

[alinas2010]

You’re welcome! Let us know, we’ll try to help anyway we can.

 

[Bluenoser]

OK, great. BTW, so you know, I'm (brand) new to this, so I really appreciate your valuable time. I'm researching for my best friend. She lives in the country, and I'm more of a 'cheerleader'...we are both new at this. She has been wanting to do this for a long time. Once we are married, I will move to where she is and we will do this together! I've passed this on to her. Thank you again!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

she is “eggbound” ie. The eggs are not coming out of her, is there a way to tell? If so, how can she be helped to lay her eggs?

She may not actually be eggbound. When a hen is moved from one place to another, she may be stressed and not lay for several days or even weeks until she is relaxed and comfortable again. A truly eggbound hen, one who has eggs stuck, will usually walk standing upright like a penguin. You say she has to be encouraged to eat, if she is just left aline, will she actually go more than a day without eating?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You could try giving her a Calcium Citrate + D3 caplet once a day for five days and see if that helps her expel eggs. It won't do her any harm. Just pop it in her beak and let her swallow, it will go down. These are available at any grocery or pharmacy in the vitamin section for people. Does she have oyster shell available at all times she can take as she needs? Laying hens will help themselves, if they aren't laying they will leave it alone.

 

[Bluenoser]

Thanks for the "eggbound" feedback. I will find out about the eating part.