# how long do abnormal droppings persist after laying eggs?



## Mrs.Montgomery (Jan 27, 2016)

Between 11/15 and 11/27, my 2-year-old hen Lucy laid 6 unfertilized eggs. On 11/28 the vet gave her a Lupron shot. The following day, she laid one more egg (he had warned me during the visit that this was likely, as he thought he felt one forming in her belly when he examined her). 

Lucy has stopped laying, which is great news. For the past 10 days, however, she’s only pooping about once every other day. Her droppings are enormous (!), very wet, and kind of stinky. I know that droppings can be affected by egg laying, but I’m surprised that this is still going on so long after her last egg. In fact, the droppings seem worse now than when she was actively laying! Does anyone know when things will be back to normal?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I'm not sure as I've never heard of this issue. She's definitely holding her poop for long periods of time. Did you take the eggs away from her? If she's still hormonal, that could be why she's still got the big poops even if she's unable to lay eggs.


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## Mrs.Montgomery (Jan 27, 2016)

Thanks for the reply, Roxy Culver! 

At the vet's advice, the eggs are still in the cage (although she does not have any kind of nest), and Lucy has been sitting on them diligently. She pretty much only gets up to eat and drink.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Yea if she's still sitting, she's not going to go back to normal poops. They hold their poop in the nest and wait til they leave the nest to let out big ones, so until she's done nesting she's going to continue to lay the big egg poops.


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## mohum (Sep 5, 2014)

i have to get Peppy out every morning to make sure she poops. She wont poop in her cage and wouldn't come out at all if I didn't encourage it. She behaves perfectly normal when out. She is often either sitting on eggs or thinking about the next lot. I use false eggs between clutches to prevent her laying again too soon.


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