Laying an egg doesn’t appear to cause pain to chickens. There are exceptions to almost every rule, but for the most part our backyard besties seem perfectly fine when laying.
Egg laying is actually a quick process. A minute or so of pushing, and the egg drops! You’ll often hear a song of excitement afterwards. Their song is partly to let the rest of the flock know where they are. Their celebration is also to scare off would-be predators from their latest prize egg.
As I said, there are exceptions to almost every rule.
A young hen may not be physically prepared for her first egg, so she might show signs of discomfort or stress the first few times.
A larger than normal size egg from one of your girls (especially in a smaller hen) can cause pain. That only makes sense! As long as it’s only on occasion, this isn’t a case that should concern you too much.
A broken egg or a bound egg are two situations that can cause pain for your flock and they are both cause for medical concern:
A broken egg can cause internal lacerations, potential infection and requires medical attention. If you suspect a broken egg, get your girl to the vet.
A bound egg is cause for an emergency medical visit. A bound egg can be quite painful and fatal. Again, this requires an emergency trip to the vet.
I know broken/bound eggs sound scary and it’s not my intent to frighten you. By and large, egg laying isn’t a painful experience for your flock. Keep a good watch on the coop, and you will know when to act and help your girls.
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