hen laying - something hanging from vent area

[ellieelectrons]

Janey, our hen, has laid two eggs and I think she's gearing up for the third one. Today, she was out of the nest box and did a gigantic poop. It seems she's storing them up and doing them when she's out of the nestbox because they're always gigantic at the moment. However, after she'd done it, there was a long string-like thing hanging from her vent. I know that normally this can be a sign of illness. Should I be trying to get her to a vet or is this common in nesting hens? This has only happened once. Should I change her diet? I've increased the amount of cooked veges I've been giving her (I normally mostly give them raw veges) as I thought she'd appreciate the softer food.

Ellie.

[ellieelectrons]

Thanks for the advice.

It possibly could have been a worm a it was the right shape or it could have been droppings trailing off. It did fall off eventually. Her last worming was at her vet checkup at the end of last year. They don't have contact with outside birds so I don't know how she could have picked this up. Our only pets are our two ringies and it's just me and my husband who live here.

I'm almost doing everything you've indicated on the feeding list except seed so I'll add that. Actually I do hide a few sunflower seeds in their foraging toys as treats but I'm sure that's not what you're talking about. I've added a feeder right near the nestbox nd put the cooked veges there. She seems to like cooked peas. I also haven't been giving her egg food. By that, do you mean cooked egg, an egg and biscuit mix or something else? I have provided her with cuttlebone and a calcium perch. Is this sufficient for calcium?

She is still quite agile. She will climb all over the cage, especially to attack me when I'm giving fresh food.

I was wondering if I should scale back the foraging, make the food easier to get?

Our avian vet said to bring her in but I'm reluctant to do it because it will cause her much stress. She hates to be away from the nest, I don't know how I'd get her into the travel cage and we live one hour drive from our avian vet. Also, I had surgery yesterday and won't be able to drive until next week.

I guess I'll make the dietary changes and keep monitoring.

Ellie.

[McmillanBirds]

Hi Ellie

What molossus means by egg food is here in SA we can buy what is almost a dehydrated crumble(eggs) with dried herbs etc in which you add a little warm water to soften into a soft crumble food, or sprinkle a little dry onto veggies etc. It is an AVI- Plus product. Can you get something similar in Australia? If not, I have heard from another breeder that you can boil eggs, and up to you what you would like to do is mash the egg and give it to them or put the shell and all into a food processor and blitz the whole lot together. The shell should not be recognisable as shell though, I would not like to encourage them to start eating their own eggs, but the shell has a lot of important nutrients and vitamins in.

I pray nothing is seriously wrong with Janey. I am leaning toward what Molossus says there aswell though, worms or droppings.

Keep us updated

Carmen

[ellieelectrons]

Thanks for the clarification Carmen. I haven't heard of that product before but I'll see if I can buy it tomorrow. Meanwhile I'll do something using eggs.

Her vent area has been clear every time I've looked since so hopefully it's a once-off.

Ellie.

[McmillanBirds]

I am glad that it has not happened again

[ellieelectrons]

Thank you both for your valuable advice.

Ellie.

[julie]

Petbarn sells a good egg n biscuit mix.
I make up a mix using
Egg powder
biscuits crumbs
almond meal
Handraising mix
wheetbix
cornflake crumbs
vanilla powder

There is something else in it but I will have to look when im home and not at work,I cant for the life of me think what it is.

[julie]

Rice flour is the other ingredient.