Eggbound or something else?

I originally posted about this problem Saturday in the egglaying and behavior section because at the time I didn't know I had a problem. Now I know I DO have a problem so I am moving my issue to this forum.

I have a golden comet pullet that started laying Sept. 15 and has laid a perfect egg daily ever since. Saturday morning it appeared she dropped a shell-less egg during the night as it was right under her roosting spot sandwiched between several layers of poop. The next day she laid regular, and also on Monday and yesterday morning. Last night when I got home from work I went to lock them up and turn out their lights and I found her in the nest box with an egg white like material close by. This morning she was on the roost but in the nest box was this:



All morning she has been listless and not eating. She is drinking. No change in diet or environment. No stress that I know of, and she usually has a habit of excess calcium on her shells. I called around for an hour this morning and cannot find a veterinarian anywhere that will see her (which is ridiculous considering the large farming community I am in), not even within a 100 mile radius. A receptionist at one of the places said it sounds like she is egg bound. If so, what steps can I take to help her (since a vet is out of the question), or does it sound like something else? She does not have parasites (I've not seen any), has a good diet, and is kept on ACV and herbs for her immune system.

Did you cut that open to see what was inside?
Looks like it could be a 'lash egg'.

Darn it, no I didn't. Didn't even think about it at the time.

I have her inside in a dog crate. I soaked her in a warm epsom salt bath for 15 minutes, used an eyedropper to get some silver supplemented water in her, and got her to take a few bites of scrambled egg. For a couple hours after that she looked like she was on death's door, but just now I offered her some layer feed and she took a few bites, stood up and started pecking around. I gave her more scrambled egg and layer feed, and then she drank on her own. Perhaps egg yolk peritonitis??

Also, when she stands, she pulls one leg up (alternates). But mostly she has been lying down.

Edited to add that she does not appear swollen and I cannot feel an egg.

Hard to know what is going on inside.
Was that....chunk...hard or soft?
Search on lash egg.

It was soft. I remember it was sort of sloshing around as I was moving it. I did look up lash egg and salpingitis, and unfortunately she has all the symptoms except abdominal swelling. I've been trying to search for the best antibiotic to treat salpingitis but can't find one that is specific to the disease. All I'm finding is for respiratory infections.

Trish1974 said:

It was soft. I remember it was sort of sloshing around as I was moving it. I did look up lash egg and salpingitis, and unfortunately she has all the symptoms except abdominal swelling. I've been trying to search for the best antibiotic to treat salpingitis but can't find one that is specific to the disease. All I'm finding is for respiratory infections.

Click to expand...

I would not treat with anything until you are positive that she actually has something and what that something is......
......otherwise you are just complicating symptoms and could do more harm than good.

If chunk was sloshy......then it's not a lash egg and thus probably not salpingitis.
I'd just cut back to nothing but a good chicken ration and clean clear water for a few weeks.

GC are high production hybrid layers......more likely to have reproduction issues.
It could just be some genetic malformation in her system.....especially if all your other birds are laying fine.
No antibiotic, or any other treatment, is going to cure that.

Thanks for the advice,aart. I'm on my own with this as no vet will help me (which angers me to no end), so I didn't know what else to do.

Last night she started to perk up and eat and drink on her own. This morning she was all puffed up, not moving, and wouldn't eat. She had what appeared to be egg white on the floor of the crate and her bum was wet. I did get a little electrolyte water down her.

Is there a humane, non vulgar way to euthanize at home? I doubt a vet will put her down if they wouldn't even try to treat her.

Trish1974 said:

Thanks for the advice,aart. I'm on my own with this as no vet will help me (which angers me to no end), so I didn't know what else to do.

Last night she started to perk up and eat and drink on her own. This morning she was all puffed up, not moving, and wouldn't eat. She had what appeared to be egg white on the floor of the crate and her bum was wet. I did get a little electrolyte water down her.

Is there a humane, non vulgar way to euthanize at home? I doubt a vet will put her down if they wouldn't even try to treat her.

Click to expand...

Not sure what your definition of 'non vulgar' is.
I used cervical dislocation with a broomstick when I had a sick hen that wasn't improving.
I didn't want the mess of a jugular slit like when I slaughter for meat, tho I did open her up to do a quick partial necropsy.

Finally found a decent video showing clearly how it is done without ripping off the head.
About a minute into this video shows the deed, Note the divot on the ground, little space for neck without crushing....
......and that she stretches legs and neck 'gently' all the way out before employing the motion that breaks the neck.

Looks like she might have an infection in her repro tract, which you might be able to treat with antibiotics, but it's unlikely that any from the feed store will work. An anti-inflammatory will probably also help.

Try to find a vet here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048640/avian-vet-search-links

If you can't find one in either of those links, google "avian vet" and the city you're in.

-Kathy

Thanks for the advice, aart, however I could not bring myself to watch the video. I know... total wuss. My parents are still confused on what kind of farm girl they raised (it was nothing for my mom to put on pot of boiling water and head outside with a hatchet as soon as I'd come in crying that the rooster attacked me)! My dad has a friend who is a retired vet and he said he would euthanize her however she is making a turn around.

Thank you, casportpony. I checked out the links and the only avian vet I found, which was still 100 miles away, had a recorded message stating "due to illness the office will be closed for several weeks". What can I give as an anti-inflammatory, or as a pain reliever? I come from a horse world where bute and banamine cure everything!