Egg bound?

[Gorsty]

Hi folks

One of my Warren girls, Dotty, has been acting rather weird today. Seems healthy enough and comes to you for corn/treats BUT she keeps on sitting down on the grass.


The other day, we found an egg actually at the side of the lawn and I'm just wondering if she might be struggling to lay. I've just put them all back in their run for the night & she has gone straight in the nestbox!


I only have two Warrens and they've been laying really well all through winter - laying decent sized eggs and so I wonder why is it now that's she might be struggling.

Are there any other signs I might look for or anything I should be doing?

Thanks, in advance, for your advice.

[RichmondHens]

If they are egg bound they tend to spend a lot of time in the nestbox but not lay anything. After several days of this they start to look unwell, hunched up etc. I suspect the egg laid on the grass might just be a result of someone getting caught short, or being kept out of the nestbox by a more dominant hen. You will just need to keep an eye on her and see if she starts to look unwell.

[Gorsty]

O-key-dokee - will certainly keep an eye on her and fortunately, it's weekend so I don't have to go to work. She is acting strange - there's something not quite right - fingers crossed she will be back to normal in the morning.

Thank you

[Gorsty]

Hi folks

It's good news this morning - Dotty is back to her old self and there's one softshelled egg in the hen house!

Don't really understand why she has had a soft shelled egg as the girls have access to grit & oyster shell and layers pellets in addition to free ranging - anyhow, perhaps I should give them some poultry spice - it certainly won't do any harm.

[chris]

Could it have been stress?

[Suechooks]

Hi folks

It's good news this morning - Dotty is back to her old self and there's one softshelled egg in the hen house!

Don't really understand why she has had a soft shelled egg as the girls have access to grit & oyster shell and layers pellets in addition to free ranging - anyhow, perhaps I should give them some poultry spice - it certainly won't do any harm.

There doesn't have to be a reason! Its a blip in the production line. One of mine did it for about a week nearly every evening just before bed time. She's fine now and I havent seen any signs.
You could give occasional Cod liver oil to help them absorb the calcium.
Glad to hear she's back to normal.