Chickens laying soft-shelled eggs, humane way to cull?

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Permalink Reply by stephanie st loe on May 27, 2013 at 6:20pm

Ummm... might want to hold off on the cull. One of mine did that in the early fall, then had a moult, then got back into 6 eggs a week production. I thought I had triggerred it with introducing artificial lighting too late in the fall after she had already quit for the winter.

Permalink Reply by Arianne Albert on May 27, 2013 at 7:51pm

It's interesting though, that they moulted already at least 3 months ago. In fact they've just never recovered laying after taking a break in January. February they moulted and then we started getting softer and softer eggs until now they're just membranes around a yolk (when we get one at all) that are smooshed around. I've also seen both of them with broken egg membranes coming out of their vents, and they've got red swollen looking patches under their vents on their abdomens. All this is leading me to suspect internal laying...

Permalink Reply by stephanie st loe on May 28, 2013 at 6:54pm

I just found the first jello egg since the fall today. I have been away for a week and left hubby in charge of chickens. he didn't put the apple cider vinegar in their water or give them the oyster shell calcium for one week and there you go-jello-shelled egg. I guess you are already feeding a layer mix and oyster shell and apple cider vinegar in the water?

Permalink Reply by Arianne Albert on May 28, 2013 at 7:51pm

Yes, all of these, and another waterer with added vitamins and minerals specifically for chickens. It really isn't a calcium thing, especially as the third chicken lays beautiful hard-shelled eggs. It also isn't the occasional jello eggs, but constant shell-less eggs and bits of membrane. It seems very unpleasant for the chickens and my understanding is that left alone they will become infected, uncomfortable and eventually die.

Permalink Reply by Alyssa K on May 30, 2013 at 2:50pm

If there are bits of membrane left inside them, you are right, they will become infected and eventually die.

Permalink Reply by Vicky on May 28, 2013 at 10:52pm

If you do decide to cull them you can take them to bc animal health centre in abbotsford who will cull them and for$10 do a necropsy to tell you what was wrong. Very worth it! If you find out, it would be great if you could let us know

Permalink Reply by Jana Ronne on May 30, 2013 at 10:56am

I am just reading a book from the library "The Chicken Health Book" by Gail Damerow. I did not get too far yet but from what I read so far, It could be Vit D deficiency (give cod liver oil in small amount to feed, so they eat it) - but you are supplementing... Another cause could be bacterial infection.
She is not an internal layer (the peristalsis has reversed and the eggs are moving the wrong way - no way to cure, no known cause) - these show a "penguin" stance. She could be a "false" layer, which is often a complication from bronchitis. Again no cure and yes, they get infected and slowly die...

I am reading this book because one of my chickens (1year old orpington) has spent most of her last 3 days in the nesting box without laying an egg. I do not think she is egg bound as I cannot feel anything in her vent and her belly is not hard. She gets very angry at me when I force her to go out to eat and drink. She usually returns to the box shortly after. She is molting a bit. Has anyone's chicken done this as well?

Permalink Reply by Jana Ronne on May 30, 2013 at 12:16pm

Found an excellent solution to her broodiness on this website - Will report on how it worked:)
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/05/broody-breaker-when-hens-m...

Permalink Reply by Jana Ronne on June 11, 2013 at 1:40pm

The idea of "forcing her out of that head space" worked wonderfully! I kept her out of the nesting box by just closing the coop during the day (other hens had the option of laying in a wood shaving box in our bike shed) and at night out of the comfy area upstairs by shutting the hatch to it. I felt awful because she was driven to madness by her hormones the first day and walked incessantly around the coop trying to figure out a way in. After 3 nights sleeping "outside" (in a caged area), she was back to herself and a week later she started laying eggs again!
Interestingly enough, all our 4 chickens laid eggs without any slow down the whole winter (we had 3-4 eggs each day) but as soon as this one became broody, we had a 2 week slow down to 2 eggs a day. Now they are back to full speed.

Permalink Reply by T. Reinkens on May 30, 2013 at 6:10pm

Hi Jana,

We have a silkie who sat in her nesting box day in and day out. She was trying desperately to make something (anything) hatch into a little chick! During this time she stopped laying all together. She would sit on one of our other hen's eggs, or on nothing at all. When they do this they tend to get a bit feisty if you try to pick them up or move them from their spot.

Some people recommended dipping her into cold water (cool her down) then confine her to an uncomfortable cage (wire or rock base with lots of light) so that it's not a cozy place to snuggle in. We chose the longer term, less invasive method of repeatedly picking her up and bring her into the yard to encourage her to eat and graze. She would generally go back into her nesting box within a few minutes minutes. But after a couple of weeks she gave up, and got back into her routine with the other girls. She's been laying regularly since.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your hen.

Permalink Reply by Jana Ronne on May 31, 2013 at 11:11am

I am choosing the longish way too - I kept her out of the nesting box the whole day yesterday (the other girls had the option of laying in a wood shaving box in our bike shed, which they occasionally use anyway) and for the night I kept her in the "downstairs" part of the coop, away from the nesting boxes. She seems better today but not yet her playful self. I will still keep her out of the nesting area today and if needed tomorrow.
Thanks for replying!