[kopperdrake]

Hi all, again

I posted a week ago about a poorly hen who turned out to have peritonitis after I'd removed a soft egg shell hanging from her vent and she'd also got a white discharge. She's happily munching calcium enriched feed at the moment, completed her antibiotics and is fine, except I think she's still laying soft-shelled eggs during the night as there's always one there when I let them out. I'm pretty sure it's hers as the other three hens and her are separated during the day until the other three have laid their eggs and yesterday we had 3 perfect eggs from those three.

Anyway, the last 3 days she's been shedding the small fluffy white feathers from her rear end. Not so many that she's going bald, but enough to produce a feathery lawn. I've checked them all over for lice, nothing there. She's alright in herself, very chirpy, eating and drinking. She's also not pulling them out, some fall out when she's preening herself, which she seems to be doing a bit more than usual, but they just seem to be falling out. Being ex-batts they are a little skanky looking (don't tell 'em I said that, I tell them they're beautiful every day - they *are* ladies after all ), but I noticed this morning that the wing feathers on the fist joint, they may be the secondaries, are all about to regrow - they're still tucked up in brand new sheaths. Could she be moulting, and could that also explain the soft-shelled eggs?

Ta for any advice - this is fascinating stuff!

[Roughlee Handled]

Sounds like she could be moulting and it does take it out of them.  As to the soft shelled egg it can happen to a hen at any time but you must remember that a ex bat is like a boy racers car. Its been going at high speed hell for leather for 18 months and not looked after, every now and again its going to miss fire.  Some damage is permanent some will get better with love and attention.