[gcb]

Can anybody give me advice. My 3 girls all laid an egg this morning and they free range in the garden all day. After tea I noticed that anne was not joining in with things, scratching or exploring etc - she is just standing motionless. I went outside to sit with her and while I was watching she laid an egg without a shell with what looked like the skin inside a shell still attached to her afterwards, which I removed. She still seems ill. Her crop seems bigger than the other birds but not sure if this is significant.Can anybody help with this. I have had my birds a month and it is my first problem
geoff

[too many girls]

laying a soft shelled egg can really take it out of a girl, personally i would just keep an eye on her for the next few days, i thought one of mine was dying, then she layed a soft shelled egg and perked up no end, what are your birds fed on? do they have acess to poultry grit? what are her poo's like?

[gcb]

She came out of the run very late today. She just stands motionless most of the time closing her eyes and looks very hunched up. She eats layers pellets and corn with occasional treats as well. She has access to grit with the others. Her poos are sometimes soft and brownish.

[Aunt Sally]

If she were mine I'd probably get a vet to check her over 

But if that's not for you make sure she has loads of fresh greens and crushed oyster shell.  Some probiotic yoghurt would do her good too.  Put Apple Cider Vinegar ( from a horsey shop) in her drinking water.

[gcb]

Thanks for that everyone -what do you think the problem is aunt sally?
geoff
I am new to my birds and do not understand their probs. i think her crop looks large in a morning. I tried to feed her mealworms soaked in oil but she really doesn't seem to want to eat , neither did she drink the warm water offered -she has spent most of the day in the egg laying box.I have gently massaged her crop. I wish i knew what to do to help. As usual she is ill when everybody is on holiday. Will take her to a poultry friendly vet if no improvement by tuesday.
geoff

[nicchick]

Hi, if her crop is impacted you have to massage quite hard to loosen stuff. There is a great bit of info on this site by Aunt Sally.
The maggots sound foul but do seem to be helping with one of our girls at the moment. If you smell anything awful then get some antibiotic from a vet, if it's not a poultry vet then just tell them what you want. Don't leave it till your hen is getting poorly as they go downhill so fast. Good luck, Nic.

[gcb]

But if that's not for you make sure she has loads of fresh greens and crushed oyster shell.  Some probiotic yoghurt would do her good too.  Put Apple Cider Vinegar ( from a horsey shop) in her drinking water.she is eating and drinking very little - she spends most of the day in the egg box in the coop.I think the earliest I can take her to the vet will be tuesday but by then I think we will know one way or the other. I have tried oil soaked mealworms as her crop doesn't seem to empty but not sure what that has to do with her laying an egg minus a shell in the chicken run. Otherwise she seems so sad, scrunched up and I just want her better.
geoff

[gcb]

She seems a bit better today and i was pleased to see her out in the run when I let them out to roam this morning. She laid a strange looking scrunched up pinkish thing as I was watching her which I assume was an egg sack or something, which the other warren gobbled up. The strange event seem to perk her up though and she is now eating much better although her crop/chest still seems to stick out even first thing this morning. Are some girls just naturally big chested 
I feel she is on the mend though - her poos were softish dark brown gain this morning so not very good just yet I think.
geoff

[too many girls]

sounds like she's on the mend, have a look at Aunt Sally's poo sticky, the range of nomal poo's is mind boggling...............