[betty]

Hello all...Sometimes I'm not on here much, but in away that's sometimes a good thing.  I need help with a hen.   She is eating and drinking o.k.  Tonight she was still outside the coop (after dark) all the other ones were inside.  She is always with the others after dark in the coop.  I watched her for awhile and notice she was trying to poo or lay an egg.  I noticed white,thin,driping stringy,comming out her rear.  i don't know if it's a poo thing or if she is egg bound.  She strains and makes a sound like it hurts. And when she sits backwards, all the other hens run over to see if she is laying an egg.  the stuff is just comming out not much, just drippy like.  Any ideas.  I am going to check to see if I can feel an egg, would I be able to feel it from under her?  How or what should it feel like?  Maybe an egg broke inside her?  I really need your help.  I'll wait for suggestions, or questions.  Thank you  Betty

[betty]

Well it's 11:30pm, and she laid the egg.   I have been getting an egg that is real ruff feeling, and has a chalky color to it.  It's her that's laying that egg.  It's a big one too.  she is a Copper Black Marans, and with the chalky color it has it makes the egg look almost white instead of a dark color.  She was laying a dark nice egg before.  I don't know why she is having a hard time.  She laid this egg from the roost too.  Not in the egg box, she just dosn't seem comfortable about the nest box for some reason now.  She wants to lay eggs where the(broody) hens are setting on them.  Well I hope it's not going to cause her to get egg bound.  Any ideas?  She doesn't look good.  She's breathing hevier then the others.  Thanks Brtty

[nnbreeder]

Betty did the egg look wrinkled or was it just the texture of sandpaper?. Also are you feeding oyster shell free-choice along with the layer feed?