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Single Egg Clutch

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eggs
1K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  dekebrent 
#1 ·
Folks -- My hen, Pete, laid an egg 2-3 days ago, and has not laid a second. Usually, she lays two eggs like clockwork -- around 7pm on the first day, then around 4pm two days later. She sits on the eggs for a few weeks, then she and her mate, George, start courting again. Sometimes they get along and share egg sitting duties after she lays -- other times, Georgie remains in woo mode and gets kicked out of the cubbie (I give them supervised visits during the squabbles). I digress a bit ...

She and Georgie squabbled a bit after she laid the first egg -- some tussling in the cubbie. I have separated them. She has not laid a second -- she is sitting on the first.

She seems fine -- walking fine, no change in mood. Poops are normal, not the messy sitting-on-eggs-forever type, but usual tight droppings w/ good color. Also, her back is not hunched or bowed -- she looks like her normal slender self. I have read a bunch of threads on egg binding. I felt around Pete's cloaca (sp?) and looked, and did not see or feel another egg protruding. For a precaution, I have a heating pad under nest area, and rubbed a little olive oil around her opening.

Am I missing anything? Could this be as simple as she got a little stressed out and only laid a single egg clutch? Thanks in advance for any thoughts. You guys know my policy -- I always feel it's better to ask, even if I've read other threads on the topic.
 
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#2 ·
Could be she's just laying one this time. You've got a good feel for the things to look out for, so for now I'd just watch and wait. Bliss and Mieke will do that sometimes. For whatever reason, he'll decide this clutch/egg is sub-par and won't let up till Mieke shifts back into courtship mode. :)
 
#4 ·
She probably didn't lay a second egg because they were separated. That would be my guess.
 
#6 ·
LOL...They sound like quite the dysfunctional couple!
 
#7 ·
Charis -- They are a hilarious couple, that's for sure. George is my "roommate" in the bedroom during his time out of the cubby w/ Pete, and he could not be sweeter -- even flying down on the bed to watch TV w/ me. During their visit time this morning, Pete gave George a kiss, so I think they are on the way to making up.
 
#9 ·
A couple of my hens lay one egg sometimes too, I just keep an eye out for their behavior. Also, check the quality of the first egg, if it doesn't look like the norm then that might be a symptom of something else going on.

TerriB, my Mieke is one of those hens!! They sure have something in common besides their name. :p
 
#10 ·
Update -- Pete abandoned her single egg and began the courting ritual with George again. She laid an egg two days ago, and did not lay a second again today. She appears to be fine, once again in her normal brooding-defend-the-nest mode. Same my previous post in this thread -- she seems normal, including poops. But this is the second single egg clutch.
 
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