Teddy was eggbound with a double yolk egg that was in two pieces!

[FunnyBunny89]

Hi... I am in the midst of a really nasty cold and just came out to the coop to find my big beauty Teddy walking like she was egg bound. I picked her up and her vent was clean but swollen and a bit wet looking. She jumped out of my arms, so I picked her up again and massaged her belly gently but couldn't feel any mass or anything (I'm new at this so maybe I missed it). She jumped down again and went to the outside nesting box to hide and ended up pushing this out (see pics): looks like a double yolk egg that split in half, and the shell was crispy on one end and soft on the other end. Not hard like her usual eggs.

Should I switch my hens to layer feed? I have a roo so I've been using All Flock and adding eggshells to it. I haven't been able to get to the store to buy oyster shells since someone mentioned it a couple days ago, now I'm wondering if that's exactly what she needs.

Everyone else is doing fine. Any thoughts on how I should help her? She's okay now, she's made her up to the roost and is walking okay again.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I wouldn't switch to layer feed if you have a rooster. You'd have to go to the feed store to get layer feed anyway, right? Just get oyster shell instead and she'll be fine. If she has any more problems give her a Calcium Citrate +D3 tablet every day for five days and that should fix it. You can get that in the vitamin/ supplement section of any grocery, walmart, drug store, etc.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If you're just feeding her back her own eggshells, they can contain less and less calcium over time. That's why oyster shell is better.

 

[FunnyBunny89]

I wouldn't switch to layer feed if you have a rooster. You'd have to go to the feed store to get layer feed anyway, right? Just get oyster shell instead and she'll be fine. If she has any more problems give her a Calcium Citrate +D3 tablet every day for five days and that should fix it. You can get that in the vitamin/ supplement section of any grocery, walmart, drug store, etc.

Okay, thank you very much! As soon as I am well enough, I will get these items. I think I'll get the supps just to have them ready. My hubby is sick too, so it'll be another day or so until we can manage it (we have 3 little kids, 2 are sick with us. It's been a rough few days...)

 

[FunnyBunny89]

If you're just feeding her back her own eggshells, they can contain less and less calcium over time. That's why oyster shell is better.

Oooh okay. I am using all the eggshells I get, so it is hers plus 7 other hens.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Okay, thank you very much! As soon as I am well enough, I will get these items. I think I'll get the supps just to have them ready. My hubby is sick too, so it'll be another day or so until we can manage it (we have 3 little kids, 2 are sick with us. It's been a rough few days...)

Oh goodness! Well don't panic, a few days won't make that much of a difference. Hope you all get better quickly! Sounds like a whole lot of not much fun!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh, as for the calcium tablets, just pull down on her wattles to open her beak and pop it in, she'll swallow it no problem. It looks big but if you tell yourself a chicken can swallow a mouse or a frog whole, it becomes much easier!

 

[FunnyBunny89]

Oh, as for the calcium tablets, just pull down on her wattles to open her beak and pop it in, she'll swallow it no problem. It looks big but if you tell yourself a chicken can swallow a mouse or a frog whole, it becomes much easier!

Yeah my girl Mina wolfed down those egg shells before I could stop her, so that was surprising! I hope it doesn't inspire her for future egg snacks...

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yeah my girl Mina wolfed down those egg shells before I could stop her, so that was surprising! I hope it doesn't inspire her for future egg snacks...

You'll have to watch her. I was getting "jelly eggs" for a while, I think due to stress until I killed two black rat snakes .. and then I busted two of my hens eating eggs. You shoulda seen em, lol, if ever a chicken could look guilty, they did! They saw me, catching them eating a shell IN THE VERY ACT (separate days), let out a shriek and ran off like their tail frathers were on fire! And neither one has done it since!

 

[FunnyBunny89]

You'll have to watch her. I was getting "jelly eggs" for a while, I think due to stress until I killed two black rat snakes .. and then I busted two of my hens eating eggs. You shoulda seen em, lol, if ever a chicken could look guilty, they did! They saw me, catching them eating a shell IN THE VERY ACT (separate days), let out a shriek and ran off like their tail frathers were on fire! And neither one has done it since!

Chickens are really quite aware aren't they?! Last night, one of my OEs was pecking at one of my newbie pullets on the roosting bars, trying to keep her from getting up. I tried poking her and it didn't deter her, so I had to grab her which turned into a mess of her panicking and two of the pullets falling off the roost in their own panic and running out of the coop. I got the OE under my arm and stood outside the coop while I called the pullets back in. As they slowly made their way, she squirmed to get out of my grip a couple times as they got close but I kept her and just put my hand on the back of her head. Once the pullets were settled back on the roost, I put the OE back up there as well and she settled right where I put her. Today, zero drama whatsoever! So hopefully that was a lesson learned.

I find that between my EEs, my Wyandottes, my OEs, and my one Australorp, the OEs tend to be the most skiddish and peckish of the bunch.