u/shinyshiny42

Two seasons ago, I cold stratified and planted pawpaws from a local wild patch and had a fantastic germination rate. I have a good crop of young trees, but I'm aware that genetic diversity is needed for fruiting. (Obviously there is some genetic variation within the patch since they are fruiting, but more is presumably better?)

I collected another round of fruit from that patch this season and saved/prepared the seeds the same way. This seed is very fresh, all collected within the past two weeks. I have around 50+ seeds and I'm wondering if anyone would be willing to just swap seeds from different parts of the country to secure more genetic diversity.

Happy to answer questions or share more details.

Just curious if this is a side effect of my information getting scrubbed and/or something anyone else has experienced? If others have experienced this, that's honestly a little comforting, although I'm curious about the why. If this is unique to me, then I'm even more curious.

Symptoms before treatment: Spending lots of time in nesting box for past two days, does not resist handling (this bird is normally VERY skittish and will not let us get near her), slightly lethargic, vent pulsing, tissue under vent feels baggy and swollen, crop very full.

Treatment: Lubed finger into vent, felt a hard mass that seemed eggy. Lubed up the mass and the vent area, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes.

Post-treatment: Immediately after being pulled from the soak, hen produced a truly enormous dropping. As far as I can tell, it's just fecal material, and seems a normalish color and consistency. The hen is currenly in the bathtub on a towel. Seems calm, which is weird for her (she should be running for the hills at the sight of a human).

Question: What? Was she just constipated? Is that a thing? Or is this a weird presentation of broodiness? (I've never seen this particular hen get broody.) I plan to re-lube and see if I still feel an obstruction in the next hour or so, but want to give her time in an isolated, dark safe space to destress for awhile first.