Tell me about your internal layers

[speckledhen]

Mine get high quality feeds, no supplemental light, a clean place to live, they freerange on 2 of our 5 acres, etc. It has to be something in all feeds (like genetically modified corn) or genetic.

Regarding hormonal, I consulted a PhD in Poultry Science about the cause. That is what he told me, a hormonal issue. No way to foresee it, no way to cure it.


I have a feeling it's more widespread than we'd like to think. It's just that few backyard chicken owners want to open up the chicken after it dies. miss_thenorth, sounds just like what I found in my poor girls. They must have been so miserable.

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

I had an EE that became an internal layer. She stopped laying, and her abdomen got bigger and bigger. I finally culled her, and when I opened her up, there was at least two quarts, maybe more, of big water balloon-like structures. There were a few normal yolks, and I could see that the other structures had started as yolks but something had happened. I felt so bad that I had waited so long to end her suffering. She could hardly walk, and I don't know how she could breath-there wasn't any room. Her carcass weighed about 1 1 1/2 lb. She was about three years old by the time I put her down, and had survived two dog attacks. I don't know if the stress of those may have had something to do with the problem.

 

[EweSheep]

Had two LF Faverolles, wasted away, about two years old, private breeder. They just wasted away and I thought they were egg bound but found NO eggs that I can find.

Also, lost two Black Amercuana bantam hens, two years old, private breeder. Also wasted away and no eggs were found on them.

Only one LF Faverolle had egg impactation and it was too late to save her.

One Blue Rock pullet, nearly a year old, private breeder, wasted away and found no eggs impacted.


Been feeding Purina and Rural King feed, both Layer and Flock grower. Access to city water.

Makes me really wonder......I didnt think genetically engineered feed would be a culprit. No organic growers in our town but they do have organic horse feed.

 

[speckledhen]

Rosemary died late last night.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=106267

 

[PurpleMoon]

Quote:
could be!

 

[onecent]

hi, mine was a white leghorn, about 15 months old, was laying fine then, her tail feathers dropped, she fluffed out, kept to her self but still ate & drank, then she would appear better!! for a week, then came the messy bottom, then the tail would drop again, this went on for about 3 months, then she died, she had one of those egg masses at her vent and she was swollen. i had gotten her from a local breeder, i still have her sister, she hasnt laid an egg in months! but seems very fine.

the next hen was a yr. old cornish mix, another local breeder brought me 4 of them, this hen had problems she swelled up, layed a shelless egg, and a few days later had a blow out, & thats how i found her she had died. the rest of them lay fine. all ate layena pellets.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Hello Rooster Red. I am so sorry to hear about your girls. I found your thread here out of curiosity after reading another thread about a possible internal layer.

I am a student of hormones as I have had some troubles of my own. I have read about a recent study involving GMO corn and its devestating affects on fertility. I definitely think you are on to something. If I can find that study, I will post the link for you.

I try to feed organic feed to my flock. It is twice as expensive as conventional feed. We have to sell eggs to offset the cost (although our young girls are not laying enough to sell yet). This may or may not offset any abnormalities inherited from breeding.

What I know for sure is that corn and especially soy are loaded with natural estrogens. I avoid both in my own diet. Pesticides are recognized by our human bodies as estrogen. Don't know how the chicken system sees them. So, there is probably too much estrogen in the feed even without the pesticides. I would love to find a feed without soy. While I think you are onto something with the GMO corn, I think the soy is just as big a problem.

Anyone know of a soy free chicken feed? I have been thinking of mixing my own, but don't even know where to start.

Rogue brand feeds are organic.
O.H. Kruse Grain and Mills is also organic, and they also make organic scratch.

Again, so sorry to hear of all the loss in your flock. Must be so frustrating. I will be watching my girls for this problem. They are all from hatcheries.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Here is a link to a report on the study done in Austria. It links GMO corn to infertility. More research is in order.


http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/GEcrops_AustrianStudy_PR11_13_08.cfm

 

[rooster-red]

Lost another hen today to internal laying.

She was a hatchery bird, and right at 2 years old.

Seems like there is a pattern here to me.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
I am so sorry to hear that.
Did your internal layers lay any eggs at all??
Our hen has laid two eggs that I know of. They were about 5 weeks apart. She laid an egg just 5 days ago and since then has been going in and going through the motions. She cackles and everything, but no egg. Just wonder if an internal layer actually gets an egg out every once in a while. My hen is from a hatchery, but I am not sure which one. She is a Rhode Island Red, which is supposed to be a great layer.