Yesterday evening Amber looked really unwell again. Her wings were down and she stood by the water. I have seen her like this before and the first time I was really worried, thinking she was really ill and that we could lose her. I soon realised this is a sign she is about to lay an egg and once the egg is laid she bounces straight back to her normal self again.
I had hoped we had got past this and that she was getting the hang of egg laying. It’s sad to think of her suffering every time she is about to lay an egg. The bantys do seem to struggle much more than the big girls with egg laying.
Since the hot weather began Honey took seven days off laying but now has laid an egg, missed a day, then laid two days running for the first time. Honey looks fine with it and seems to have got the hang of it now.
Amber took nine days off, laid one egg then missed another two days. The other thing I noticed yesterday evening is that she has had her comb pecked again. I feel so sorry for her.
Amber stands with her wings down
Amber stands by the water looking miserable
The dark line at the base of her comb is dried blood from being pecked. I thought we had got past this and it’s upsetting to see this again. Her feathers have also been pulled out from her front, just under her face.
When I put them to bed, once it was cool, I knew that I would probably find an egg from Amber in the morning.
This morning when I went out to them early, Amber was back to herself again. I was surprised that there was no egg in the nest box. I opened up the side of the coop to clean and there it was, a soft shelled egg on the coop floor. That explained why she was looking unwell.
Amber’s soft shelled egg
With the hot weather I have been giving more treats to keep them cool and it must have upset the balance of Amber’s diet. I mixed up some mash with limestone flour and a little olive oil and took it to the girls.
Back on the limestone flour
Pepper once again is in the nest box. I will keep mixing lime stone flour in with their treats until Amber’s eggs are normal again. At least this is a problem than can easily be sorted out.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Poor Amber! As well as the soft shell pecked as well. Hopefully she will soon be back to normal.
That’s what I thought (double wammy!) but I suppose they are more vulnerable to being pecked when they are down. At least the bantys bounce back quickly.