# Chicken not herself - no shell, soft shell then this.



## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

So I have two brown shaver hens and they normally lay one egg each a day. Yesterday I only got one egg which happens sometimes. 
But this morning when I cleaned out the coop I noticed no poop and what looked like egg white with a little yoke. 
No sign of any shell. Later today we found a soft shell egg. 
One of the girls is quiet I found her sitting under a tree so I picked her up. 
She had runny poop and it's all over her feathers by her vent, some got on me it was that runny. 
I popped her in the coop so I could keep and eye on her. 5 minutes later there was an egg on the grass in the coop. 
It's got pale bits and an oval marking on it. I'll load Photo. I've confined them both for the afternoon to keep an eye on them. 

Any ideas?


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## avis67 (Oct 27, 2013)

Once in a while you will get some weird eggs like soft shell eggs or fart eggs. Usually when the feathers around the chicken's vent is wet with chicken poop it is from diarrhea. Sometimes it is http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt. The egg doesn't look too abnormal, there's just a little bit of imbalance in the brown color pigment.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Oooo that looks nasty hope not that. Thanks for the link. I'll check her first thing. She ate a bit if grit today after I locked her up.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Is you flock getting enough calcium and protein ? What do you feed ?


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

They get good quality pellets plus a chicken nibbles mix with some grain and seeds. Plus left over cat food...just a little..usually raw rabbit or wallaby... They have oyster shell in the mix and in a separate dish.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

She hasn't come out of nesting box this morning...that's where they sleep funnily enough. Think I might take her to the vet.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

So most people think I'm crazy but took her to the vet today. They said she has a bacterial infection noted by her poop being yellow/green. They are giving her antibiotics, she's staying there till Monday. Hopefully she pulls through. Limpy is doing ok although a bit lonely...we only have two hens you see.


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## avis67 (Oct 27, 2013)

It's not crazy at all, some people will bring their chickens to the vet when they are sick or injured. If I know the reason why my chicken is sick and how to cure it I would do it myself, but if I didn't know then I would probably go to the vet. Hope your hen gets better.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks avis67. The vet called today, it's Sunday here, she eating although lost a little weight overnight, she's giving her antibiotics and calcium. This morning there were broken egg shells in her poop so she x-rayed her to make sure there were no more inside,m and all good. Hopefully I can collect her tomorrow. We only have two hens so the other one is very lonely and won't leave the house patio where she can see/hear me. I have bought her food and water up here.


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## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

Make sure you get some extra antibiotics for the other hen, also. A bacterial infection could be contagious.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Have her home now. Bacteria no longer showing in poop. Have these massive antibiotic tablets to give her. Worried about doing that but she seems happy and making book book sounds and eating grass - they were pleased to be reunited. Now to get my head around tabletting her.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Forgot to say she's lost weight again ŷesterday, hoping being home will help her.


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## jennifer (May 14, 2013)

So sorry! That's a hard thing to deal with.. Good for you for taking her in. Have you ever thought if feeding FF? Fermented feeds? This can prevent disease/ infection. Natural probiotics and save money in feed. If you want more info there is a FF thread on here that should cover it


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

She's really happy and looks back to normal to me at home today. Eating lots, scratching, not sleeping a lot or anything. The vet gave me these HUGE antibiotics to give her. How bad would it be if I didn't. Since she was clear of bacteria in the poop today?

Don't think we can get fermented foods here in New Zealand, I shall do some research.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Got it! (FF) sounds fun, started some tonight. Thanks!


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

I chickened out last night.!!! Frightened of choking her. I crushed the tablets and tried it in cat food. She ate a teeny bit. I'll try again this morning.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Hey I did it. She didn't choke. Two tablets. One huge one. And she just carried on afterwards like nothing happened. Phew! And they're having the first of their soaked grains this morning while the rest ferment. They love it. Thanks everyone. Love the support on here. You all rock!


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

She laid an egg yesterday. Not today. Looks thin compared to my other girl. Vet checked for worms. What's best to feed her to put on weight? Apart from FF.


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