One of the services I provide to urban chicken keepers is a Healthy Hens visit.
This generally involves checking the chickens for any signs of disease, addressing any questions the owner has about the flock, and checking out the coop.
Recently I visited an urban chicken owner in Chicago who owned a lovely flock that included a game bantam, a buff Orpington, a silver laced Wyandotte, a speckled Leghorn, and a barred rock.
The little bantam was showing signs of being picked on, and her owner wanted my opinion on the situation, as well as the health of her birds and the layout of the coop.
Tammy, the game bantam turned out to be an older bird, and the others were indeed picking on her. The others were all healthy and happy! My recommendation was to separate Tammy from the others, and I provided other suggestions about the coop, perches, food, and water. I also showed the owner how to assess the health of her birds.
Here are some pix from this healthy hens visit!
Home to Roost 
Posted by ramblingandlovely on April 5, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Hi Jen,
We are brand new to backyard chicken keeping. Two days ago we brought home 2 Red Stars hens from Belmont F&S. They are very friendly and each have layer an egg every morning. But today one hen layed an extra JUMBO egg that had a white chalkiness to it; right after that, she pooped and it also had a white chalky covering. Is she okay? Both things seemed hard/uncomfortable for her to pass. She has water available to her all day, but I worry she is somehow constipated.
Thanks in advance for any advice,
Rita
Posted by chickenwoman on April 5, 2012 at 6:36 pm
My first thought is she is probably young hen, yes? So she is just getting used to laying. The white chalky film is probably urates (excretions from the kidneys – chicken pee). Or it could be the “bloom” or cuticle that seals the eggs from bacteria – a liquid, usually clear, coating that dries quickly. Difficult to say without seeing.