This morning I found another tiny egg in the chicken shed. I now know that it is Salmon laying them. Yesterday afternoon Salmon was very vocal and sat in a nest box for a few minutes then gave up. I felt sure she was ready to lay.
Ebony and Flame are laying. I don’t really have any expectations about Speckles this year. Smoke, Marmite and Spangle are all laying regularly now. That only leaves Salmon.
Salmon has been wheezing since last summer. I have treated with tylan three times and it has had no effect on her wheezing. Yet Salmon looks healthy and is doing all the usual chicken things and she has a beautifully red comb and face.
I wonder if her wheeze is why she is laying these tiny eggs and yet I am not altogether sure that is. Salmon has always had difficulty laying and laid several soft shelled eggs last summer. Salmon used to look poorly before laying which isn’t the case now so as long as these eggs stay tiny I think that it isn’t causing her any problems.
It is most peculiar though and I have only come across these tiny eggs before when a girl is laying for the very first time. The shell is soft and when I picked it up it dented which is why the top is flat in the photo below.
At least I now know these eggs are from Salmon. It will be interesting to see what her next egg is like. If Salmon’s comb was pale I would be worried about her but as long as her comb remains red like this I don’t think there is anything to worry about.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Salmon is really something of a conundrum: something is not right in the egg-laying department, yet she looks – and is – in excellent condition. It’s a waiting game, I suppose.
On Tuesday morning this week, I found Converse dead on the floor of the coop; she was 4, hatched by Cotton from one of our own white silkie eggs when I has a light sussex cockerel for a couple of weeks. Very strange – she had a red comb and had started to lay again 2 days earlier – a very distinctive, almost round, egg, large for a bantam. I’d have expected her to lay again that day and have wondered if it was egg connected – but then again, they can have heart attacks.
Salmon really is a conundrum. When she didn’t stop wheezing despite being treated with tylan I was convinced we would lose her and yet she appeared so well in every other way. She has always had a few egg laying issues but this is really very odd. Her red comb reassures me though and as you say it is a waiting game. I am aware that she is my most vulnerable girl.
So sad about Converse. I have had this happen three times now, first Amber, then Apricot then Vanilla. Each time the girl seemed well. Having had both Sienna and Jasmine with heart problems I realise that it may be more common than we imagine. Sometimes we can just never know. I am so sorry.
She certainly looks in very good condition, a fine looking girl.
She is a beautiful girl. I would love for her wheeze to go but I just have to hope she stays healthy.