NewAtThis8
Songster
- Apr 9, 2023
- 208
- 188
- 128
Hey all,
I tend to be an over reactor / jump the gunner and end up usually making things more complicated.
That being said- I’m trying to step back and see how things go but wanted to run this by those maybe more experienced to see if I should be worried.
All of my chickens stopped laying for the winter except for one soldier- my starlight green egger Dorothy.
They are all two years old now, this was their second winter and I expected it but Dorothy surprised me.
They’ve all started back up again and lately, I noticed some weird eggs coming from her specifically.
In between normal eggs, she laid two rubbery eggs and then a bunch more normal eggs, then a little tiny fairy egg three days ago and nothing since.
Typically I’d not be concerned about the occasional weird egg because I’ve seen my fair share when they were young but now she’s established.
As far as behavior, she’s not acting sick. I did notice she was picking and eating feathers so I thought the rubber eggs were a deficiency so I upped the oyster shell mixed in their pellets. They eat Kalmbach feather grower (extra protein, I think either 18% or 22%).
She’s got normal appetite and energy, but she has been visiting the nesting box for an hour or two every day since the tiny egg and just not laying anything.
This behavior is also not unusual, all the chickens do it occasionally but I guess with the weird eggs, 3 days of nothing plus her seeming like she’s visiting the nesting box and not producing has me a little worried.
Her feathers are healthy and shiny though everyone seems like they’re molting (base of tails is thinning out) and her comb and wattles are red. Eyes are clear and she’s not waddling around like a penguin. I didn’t notice any unusual poops.
Maybe she’s taking her break now since they seem like they’re molting, but I just don’t know.
I don’t want to stress her out by doing too much if she doesn’t seem sick, but I also don’t want her to get bad and then be too late to intervene…
Thoughts?
I tend to be an over reactor / jump the gunner and end up usually making things more complicated.
That being said- I’m trying to step back and see how things go but wanted to run this by those maybe more experienced to see if I should be worried.
All of my chickens stopped laying for the winter except for one soldier- my starlight green egger Dorothy.
They are all two years old now, this was their second winter and I expected it but Dorothy surprised me.
They’ve all started back up again and lately, I noticed some weird eggs coming from her specifically.
In between normal eggs, she laid two rubbery eggs and then a bunch more normal eggs, then a little tiny fairy egg three days ago and nothing since.
Typically I’d not be concerned about the occasional weird egg because I’ve seen my fair share when they were young but now she’s established.
As far as behavior, she’s not acting sick. I did notice she was picking and eating feathers so I thought the rubber eggs were a deficiency so I upped the oyster shell mixed in their pellets. They eat Kalmbach feather grower (extra protein, I think either 18% or 22%).
She’s got normal appetite and energy, but she has been visiting the nesting box for an hour or two every day since the tiny egg and just not laying anything.
This behavior is also not unusual, all the chickens do it occasionally but I guess with the weird eggs, 3 days of nothing plus her seeming like she’s visiting the nesting box and not producing has me a little worried.
Her feathers are healthy and shiny though everyone seems like they’re molting (base of tails is thinning out) and her comb and wattles are red. Eyes are clear and she’s not waddling around like a penguin. I didn’t notice any unusual poops.
Maybe she’s taking her break now since they seem like they’re molting, but I just don’t know.
I don’t want to stress her out by doing too much if she doesn’t seem sick, but I also don’t want her to get bad and then be too late to intervene…
Thoughts?
