Egg laying problems

peep · **Joined:** Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:50 pm **Posts:** 17

One of four of my 20 month old ISA brown has periodically laid eggs minus shells etc. She is currently trying to expel an egg and is standing alone fluffed up and with a small dropping of pooh which is watery with yellow/creamy substance. Last week she expelled the egg white and yolk with the unformed shell coming out last.
She appears healthy when not attempting to lay which is about every second day. It has perhaps been a month since she laid a normal egg.
Can anyone suggest some treatment? Any chance she is in pain as if so I would consider putting her down.
Thanks Peep.

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

Hi Peep,

It could be a number of reproductively-related problems.
How old is she? She may be burnt out- meaning her oviduct is no longer capable of fully forming a shell anymore.

What's your diet like? Make sure there is plenty of shellgrit and other calcium sources available, and enough protein (should all be ok if you're feeding reliable layer pellets as the major part of the diet but still make shellgrit avialable)

She may also have an infection of her oviduct, or even some oviduct damage from a previous misshapen egg, a growth or other cause. Some of these will come good with antibiotics, anti inflammatories, good diet & rest.

The fact that she's fluffed when trying to lay suggests that she's in some discomfort- whether it's too much is a judgement call.

The small white creamy dropping is just the urate- that's how birds get rid of excess nitrogen; the liquid is the urine part. In other words it is a dropping without faeces. Not significant unless that's all she's passing all day.

Hope she feels better soon

Parvo

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

At 20months and being an Isa Brown – it could be 3 things = either along the lines of what parvo has said – and if you think she is in pain it is a judgement call – you can try the Vet – but you would need an Avian Vet not just your average dog and cat or horse and cow one. Most Vets have a very limited knowledge of poultry and fewer have a desire to obtain the knowledge.
OR
She may be getting ready to moult = all the calcium and a great deal of the protein consumed goes towards new feather growth = watch for a lot of feathers on the ground, this will tell you if she is moulting.
OR
she may be ‘spent’

Isa Browns are a purpose bred ‘hybrid breed’ designed solely for high egg production in the first laying season with the quantity dropping dramatically after that. They are sometimes referred to as the ‘fatal’ breed as they really are only genetically designed to last a few years at best

All I can suggest [beyond parvo’s advice] is watch her and observe all you can and report back any and all symptoms in this post. There are many here that will be able to help

peep · **Joined:** Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:50 pm **Posts:** 17

Thanks for that. I feed them a complete layer mix plus shell grit. And they free range twice a day. I tried to buy a calcium suppliment but could not get any in this small town.
They have not really molted since I bought them 18 months ago but there have been feathers shed of late so maybe that is it. I do observe them probably too much but will continue to monitor her and see how she goes.

Knowing what I have now read on this forum I would not have purchased Isa browns but as a novice that was what was for sale at the local hardware and I guess many people are more interested in egg production than quality of life etc.

Hopefully Big Comb will return to laying without problems.

Thanks Peep

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

dont beat yrself up - most new to chook people get Isa Browns not knowing about the 'breed'

and as they get older you can replace them with breeds that are dual purpose - good egg layers and pretty show ponies besides - no chook other than a hybrid will lay huge quantities of eggs - so just expect a reasonably good amount of eggs from the show ponies you will get later and enjoy them for much longer

I recently retired a girl that was 18 [you read right eighteen yrs old] last August and she still laid 10 eggs last year :-D

- lost her sister to old age a few months ago but she laid 15 eggs last year :-D

both have produced National Show Champion offspring :-D

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