[Ben_H]

Found the attached in the run tonight. It's like a small rubber bag with a yolk next to it. The albumen has soaked into the woodchip. Having read through a dozen threads after searching the forum I'm unsure so got to post.

Is it likely to be one of my laying hybrids who normally produce brown eggs? Does pigment change/disappear in a soft shelled egg? I think I read somewhere that pigment is added during the final stages of the egg formation.

If not the above has my 32 wk old Cream Legbar come into lay? She looks like she could be ready but it was suggested on a recent thread that this wouldn't happen in the winter. She isn't squatting but I caught her lurking in the nest box this morning. If it is the CLB I hope that the pigment "blues up" as the shells get harder.

Ben

[joyfull]

it could be any of them, the colouring on the shell is the final process in the egg laying. If you get an egg straight after it has popped out you can wip some of the colour off usually.
Not all hens courtsey/squat 

[Ben_H]

Hmm, the plot thickens. The other thing that occurs to me just now is that over the last few days I have finished up the growers pellets and moved them onto layers, gradually phasing one out and one in. Would this change in diet cause a soft shelled egg?

[helens-hens]

I wouldn't have thought the change of pellets would cause this, the layers pellets should have greater levels of calcium which if anything should make the shells hard. Also make sure they have access to oystershell (again for the calcium).

I would keep an eye on them and see if this happens again. Sometimes hens will lay an occasional soft shelled egg and then resume laying properly. On the other hand some hens can start laying soft shelled eggs regularly in which case you may need to look more closely at finding the cause.

[Ben_H]

OK, all quiet yesterday. Only one egg from the two layers but not unusual as one was probably due a break.

Went out this morning to open up. Didn't hang around as weather was foul and half the birds didn't come out straight away. When I went out to do afternoon snacks one of the hybrids was looking rather dejected, tail down and a very mucky bottom  - feathers seemed compacted and not their usual fluffed up shape. Unfortunately we've visitors round and it was getting dark so I wasn't able to bring the bird in to clean her up. I'll bring her in in the morning though.

Question is, what do I need to be looking for? I've scanned the last 30 pages of threads and only found one other mucky bum query. It looked more like poo than anything else but given the recent soft egg should I look in the vent once she is cleaned up? Any other suggestions?

[Ben_H]

Went out this morning and found Clara lying in the straw on the coop floor. She is not responsive but I've brought her in to the house to see if I can revive her with a bit of warmth. She is still warm underneath but her neck is floppy so guessing that we've missed the boat.

Whatever the issue it seems to have progressed very quickly as she seemed to be eating happily yesterday morning. I suppose in this cold weather if they get a bit low it can get nasty pretty quickly.

I was due to clean the coop anyway today so will get the bird disinfectant out and dose everyone else with chook tonic etc to pep them up and keep a beady eye on them.

[viettaclark]

Sorry to hear Clara is poorly. Were your chooks vaccinated before you bought them?

[Ben_H]

yes they were though can't remember exactly what for.

[kegs]

Try and get her to eat some food and water.  How is her vent?  Have they all been wormed recently and if so what with?  Has there been any improvement since this morning or any other symptoms that we can help you with?  I think you will have to get her to a vet as soon as possible but in the mean time is there a breeder near you (perhaps where you got your chickens from) who could help you out today?  Good luck.  (Perhaps if you also edit the title so that the experts know it is no longer to do with soft shells and that you need help ASAP.)

[Ben_H]

Sorry, perhaps should have been a bit clearer in my last but one post. Clara is now definitely not with us any longer and I've just spent the last hour or so cleaning and disinfecting the coop in case it was anything catching. Am keeping an eye on the others and most seem fine though one of the pekins is looking a bit pale.

Fingers crossed that this was a one off. I may have to steel myself to inspect the deceased to look for anything that shedds any light on this sudden death

[helens-hens]

Hi Ben, you made a reference to this in a reply you just sent to my discussion. Really sorry to hear about Clara  . I know how worrying it is when they are unwell and then to go and lose her, thats just awful.

It sounds to me as though it was probably something to do with the egg laying process rather than disease so will keep fingers crossed that your other birds remain fit & well.

[Ben_H]

Argh, the problem of trying to post and look after small children and put up Christmas trees all at the same time. Then forgetting that I haven't posted an update on this thread.

Yes, to my untutored eye when I looked the poor bird over before "tidying away" I'm pretty sure it was a prolapse so hopefully there will be no effect on the other birds.

Ben