# Strange shaped egg and a quiet hen - please help!



## Callumandrose (May 11, 2017)

Hi everyone, 

We're in need of some words of wisdom.

We have a small flock of chickens that we rescued from battery farms a few months ago and they are incredibly and have added to our lives immensely.

We woke up this morning and went to see the girls in the garden, they have an auto door on the coop and are always out scratching when we get there, only today the ring leader was still in the coop, head down and very still.

We put her outside with the others, knowing something was wrong, especially when we tried to get her attention with some grapes and she wasn't interested. She just very slowly walked over to the shade and stayed there dead still. She was obviously in pain.

We tried numerous things but ended up putting her back in the coop away from the others, with water with tonic in and some lettuce and mash, and gave her a small dose of cal pop that we had been told by a vet previously was ok in an emergency. We left for work fearing the worst and feeling guilty as hell to leave her.

When I returned home I found scruffy to be back to old self running round, shouting at the other girls and demanding food the moment I went outside. When I looked in the coop I found a very strangely shaped egg, which I had never seen anything like before. 

Please can someone help explain what has happened here and if there is anything we can do to prevent this happening again.

I have included pictures of the egg, and her poop as well just in case that helps too.
Excuse the fluff we use alpaca wool in our nesting boxes so the girls have warm bums.

Thank you in advance for all of your kind help,

Callum and Rose


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 11, 2017)

It does look like she had troubles making the egg correctly. Could be stress induced, or just a glitch. Do your hens have free access to oyster shells?


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## Mother Hen (May 11, 2017)

Not sure why that egg is strange shaped. I've gotten soft shell eggs before but never one that was out of shape.


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## Callumandrose (May 11, 2017)

oldhenlikesdogs said:


> It does look like she had troubles making the egg correctly. Could be stress induced, or just a glitch. Do your hens have free access to oyster shells?


Thank you @oldhenlikesdogs Yes they have two tubs of it in different areas of our garden where they free range every day, they don't seem to pay much attention to it though, do you know a way to get more of it into their diet?


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## Mother Hen (May 11, 2017)

I usually put Oyster she'll grit in the feeder along with their regular food- complete layer pellets. As a treat I give my hens and rooster cracked corn that I toss onto the ground so it scatters.


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## DwayneNLiz (May 11, 2017)

there are many reasons that they lay 'odd' eggs as @oldhenlikesdogs said stress or just random, there could also be something more serious
it sounds like she is doing much better, keep a close eye on her for the next few days, i would also maybe weigh her to get a base weight that way it is easier to track in case she acts off again
feel her abdomen for swelling or fluid/balloony feel

do you know how old she is? prob not but just wondering

Good Luck!!

ETA: her poop looks good! not abnormal at all!


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## DwayneNLiz (May 11, 2017)

Mother Hen said:


> I usually put Oyster she'll grit in the feeder along with their regular food- complete layer pellets. As a treat I give my hens and rooster cracked corn that I toss onto the ground so it scatters.


oyster shell should be separate from food
and treats should be no more than 5-10% of their intake


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## Mother Hen (May 11, 2017)

They only get a small handful of cracked corn in the morning other than that it's just complete layer pellets and Oyster shells which isn't all the time. 
 I've heard that Oyster shells shouldn't be mixed into the food but that's the only way I'm able to get them to eat it.


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## Callumandrose (May 11, 2017)

DwayneNLiz said:


> there are many reasons that they lay 'odd' eggs as @oldhenlikesdogs said stress or just random, there could also be something more serious
> it sounds like she is doing much better, keep a close eye on her for the next few days, i would also maybe weigh her to get a base weight that way it is easier to track in case she acts off again
> feel her abdomen for swelling or fluid/balloony feel
> 
> ...


Thank you so much @DwayneNLiz, she was in a pretty bad way this morning so I'm praying it's nothing more serious and great suggestion about weighing her just in case. I've had a little feel of her stomach and crop already but felt abut daft because I wasn't entirely sure what I should be doing. I'll have another go in the morning as she has tucked herself up in bed now.
We are guessing she is approx 21 months as the rescue charity said the battery farms usually get rid of their chickens at 18 months.
Thanks again!


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 11, 2017)

Hens that eat layer ration tend to get enough calcium and will consume very little extra calcium. Since they have access to it I would just assume it was a one time occurrence, unless it continues, but even if it did I'm not sure you could do anything to prevent it.

Is it warm where you are at? I have read that panting can cause brittle shells.


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## Callumandrose (May 11, 2017)

oldhenlikesdogs said:


> Hens that eat layer ration tend to get enough calcium and will consume very little extra calcium. Since they have access to it I would just assume it was a one time occurrence, unless it continues, but even if it did I'm not sure you could do anything to prevent it.
> 
> Is it warm where you are at? I have read that panting can cause brittle shells.



She has done wrinkly eggs before and investigating it further we wonder if she has had IB before she came to live with us. 
I wouldn't call it warm here really, it is for what are used to but it has gone above 20degrees centrigrade yet this year so hopefully it's not to do with the heat, they have plenty of water and shade.

Thank you!


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## Dozclan12 (May 11, 2017)

I've had a hen that is also laying soft shells..in fact, just broke her egg in my hand just taking it out of the nest box this morning when it bumped next to another egg I was holding.  Now, this girl, has been trying to go broody.  Put her in a broody breaker for a couple of days.  She is not acting broody now, but has been laying funky eggs.  By chance, since you said that your hen is quiet...lol..most of the time they will growl and fluff up while broody..but could yours be getting broody?  Some hens will just sit back, and be still.  Just a thought..and yes, my girl that was trying to go broody, started laying the soft shell eggs before I broke her.   I did put some extra oyster shell out, haven't in a long time, they are free ranging and should be fine, but giving them a choice.   Like said above, they won't eat it if they don't need it.  Let's hope both of our girls get back to normal!


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## Callumandrose (May 12, 2017)

Thank you everyone for your kind help and suggestions, scruffy has woken up this morning full of the joys of spring, running round putting all the girls in line and shouting at me.
Fingers crossed it was just a glitch.
Thanks again!


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## CTKen (May 12, 2017)

This link may be useful - not sure if you have seen it -
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/common-egg-quality-problems

(And yes, the link still works)
As an ex-batt I would doubt that carries a respiratory virus (but you never know).


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## Callumandrose (May 12, 2017)

Thank you @CTKen that page is really interesting, she regularly lays eggs with wrinkles so it's interesting to read about the possible causes.
Thank you for Your help.


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