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Sick hen, swollen abdomen/vent area...HELP!!!l

post #1 of 12
5/16/08 at 3:57pm
Thread Starter 

I have a year old hen who is looking like she may be egg bound??  She's weak, had crusted poop all over back end and her abdomen and vent area are really swollen.. I soaked her in some luke warm water and she drank some sugar water, but when she goes to sit, she goes on her side a bit.  Yesterday I think she was trying to lay an egg, but nothing so far and she's been sitting in one spot for most of the day. I decided to bring her in the house to try and wash her bum off and give her a soak. Anybody have any other ideas??

Thanks!

Trish

~Mom to 5 kids: 12 yr old ,9 yr old, 7yr old,5 yr old,2 yr old,1 loving husband, 1 ~ragdoll/siamese cat~Isabelle, 1~ tabby cat~Daisey Mae, ,  1~ Rotti~Jasper,1~ Beagle~Sam,1 ~21  month old Aussie SheperdX beagle~Zoe,1 ~24 yr old QH ~Sanna, 1~ 6 yr old TB~Hobbins, 59 chickens,7~2 week old Swedish and rouen ducklings and 2~4 day old muscovy ducklings
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~Mom to 5 kids: 12 yr old ,9 yr old, 7yr old,5 yr old,2 yr old,1 loving husband, 1 ~ragdoll/siamese cat~Isabelle, 1~ tabby cat~Daisey Mae, ,  1~ Rotti~Jasper,1~ Beagle~Sam,1 ~21  month old Aussie SheperdX beagle~Zoe,1 ~24 yr old QH ~Sanna, 1~ 6 yr old TB~Hobbins, 59 chickens,7~2 week old Swedish and rouen ducklings and 2~4 day old muscovy ducklings
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post #2 of 12
5/16/08 at 4:16pm

That DOES sound like she's eggbound or trying to lay a softshelled egg...
You could try and get it out...lube up your finger and try and reach it.

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Paradise is loving a person who's heart is covered with feathers.
"I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity" Poe
Visit my site: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5406335
Visit my other site: http://p197.ezboard.com/bpetpoultryassociation23977
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post #3 of 12
5/16/08 at 4:18pm
Thread Starter 

I just squirted some mineral oil into her vent to see if that will help. She seems to be breathing a bit more harder, but she did try to jump out of the box I have her in.  Poor girl went over to her side again, hopefully she didn't damage a wing in the process. sad

Thanks spottedcrow! I will try to see if I can reach it.  Oh boy, she's not going to like me!!

~Mom to 5 kids: 12 yr old ,9 yr old, 7yr old,5 yr old,2 yr old,1 loving husband, 1 ~ragdoll/siamese cat~Isabelle, 1~ tabby cat~Daisey Mae, ,  1~ Rotti~Jasper,1~ Beagle~Sam,1 ~21  month old Aussie SheperdX beagle~Zoe,1 ~24 yr old QH ~Sanna, 1~ 6 yr old TB~Hobbins, 59 chickens,7~2 week old Swedish and rouen ducklings and 2~4 day old muscovy ducklings
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~Mom to 5 kids: 12 yr old ,9 yr old, 7yr old,5 yr old,2 yr old,1 loving husband, 1 ~ragdoll/siamese cat~Isabelle, 1~ tabby cat~Daisey Mae, ,  1~ Rotti~Jasper,1~ Beagle~Sam,1 ~21  month old Aussie SheperdX beagle~Zoe,1 ~24 yr old QH ~Sanna, 1~ 6 yr old TB~Hobbins, 59 chickens,7~2 week old Swedish and rouen ducklings and 2~4 day old muscovy ducklings
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post #4 of 12
5/16/08 at 4:20pm

According to my chicken book, you should definitely lube a finger and feel around to try to get it out.  It says if you can feel it, keep your finger in and try to guide the egg out while applying gently pressure to the lower abdomen.  If that doesn't work, puncture the egg with a pin (careful!) and take the egg out in pieces, being careful to not cut the vent with shell shards.  Good luck!  She needs you right now!

Mom to 4 kidz, 4 dogz, 2 catz, 2 gerbilz, and 7 great, gorgeous pulletz!
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Mom to 4 kidz, 4 dogz, 2 catz, 2 gerbilz, and 7 great, gorgeous pulletz!
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post #5 of 12
5/16/08 at 4:33pm
Thread Starter 

Well, I stuck my finger in and didn't feel any egg. hmm All she did was pee on me. I don't know what else to do. sad

~Mom to 5 kids: 12 yr old ,9 yr old, 7yr old,5 yr old,2 yr old,1 loving husband, 1 ~ragdoll/siamese cat~Isabelle, 1~ tabby cat~Daisey Mae, ,  1~ Rotti~Jasper,1~ Beagle~Sam,1 ~21  month old Aussie SheperdX beagle~Zoe,1 ~24 yr old QH ~Sanna, 1~ 6 yr old TB~Hobbins, 59 chickens,7~2 week old Swedish and rouen ducklings and 2~4 day old muscovy ducklings
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~Mom to 5 kids: 12 yr old ,9 yr old, 7yr old,5 yr old,2 yr old,1 loving husband, 1 ~ragdoll/siamese cat~Isabelle, 1~ tabby cat~Daisey Mae, ,  1~ Rotti~Jasper,1~ Beagle~Sam,1 ~21  month old Aussie SheperdX beagle~Zoe,1 ~24 yr old QH ~Sanna, 1~ 6 yr old TB~Hobbins, 59 chickens,7~2 week old Swedish and rouen ducklings and 2~4 day old muscovy ducklings
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post #6 of 12
5/16/08 at 4:40pm

Oh no!  Hopefully someone more knowledgable will get on and help.  Good luck to you and your girl!

Mom to 4 kidz, 4 dogz, 2 catz, 2 gerbilz, and 7 great, gorgeous pulletz!
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Mom to 4 kidz, 4 dogz, 2 catz, 2 gerbilz, and 7 great, gorgeous pulletz!
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post #7 of 12
5/16/08 at 7:38pm

I'm watching this thread to see if anyone else has any other suggestions also.  I have a hen with the same symptoms.  Today I soaked her in a warm bath and put her in her own hutch.  She sat on edge of nest box all day today and lower area is really swollen.  She did the same thing yesterday but laid an egg last night after I massaged her.  It didn't work today nor did the bath and she too seems to be in distress.

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Bethel Farm's Blog
Bethel Farm's French Black Copper Marans
Bethel Farm's Welsummers

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post #8 of 12
5/16/08 at 8:18pm
Thread Starter 

Well, I don't really know if "Goldie" is going to make it through the night. sadsad I gave her another warm soak and she seemed pretty relaxed in it, I hated to bring her out of it.  I than dried her off with the hair dryer which she also didn't seem to mind. Her back end is still really swollen and red.  She did manage to eat a tiny bit of yogurt and some more sugar water and a few bits of layer crumbles/scratch.  At least she doesn't smell of poop anymore and is nice and shiny clean. She's cuddled up in a box with towels in my bathroom with the doors closed so my dog and cats can't get at her. I have classical music playing on the radio really low to comfort her. I honestly don't know what else to do but pray that she will make it through the night. She sat on my lap for a bit and snuggled in. I've never had a chicken in the house before except for the 2~ week old ones( her siblings) last year when I tried to nurse them back to health but they didn't make it.

Ruth, I hope your girls gets better soon!! It's the feeling of hopelessness and not knowing what else to do that gets me. I feel I owe it to my girl to help her after all the wonderful eggs she's given me.

~Mom to 5 kids: 12 yr old ,9 yr old, 7yr old,5 yr old,2 yr old,1 loving husband, 1 ~ragdoll/siamese cat~Isabelle, 1~ tabby cat~Daisey Mae, ,  1~ Rotti~Jasper,1~ Beagle~Sam,1 ~21  month old Aussie SheperdX beagle~Zoe,1 ~24 yr old QH ~Sanna, 1~ 6 yr old TB~Hobbins, 59 chickens,7~2 week old Swedish and rouen ducklings and 2~4 day old muscovy ducklings
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~Mom to 5 kids: 12 yr old ,9 yr old, 7yr old,5 yr old,2 yr old,1 loving husband, 1 ~ragdoll/siamese cat~Isabelle, 1~ tabby cat~Daisey Mae, ,  1~ Rotti~Jasper,1~ Beagle~Sam,1 ~21  month old Aussie SheperdX beagle~Zoe,1 ~24 yr old QH ~Sanna, 1~ 6 yr old TB~Hobbins, 59 chickens,7~2 week old Swedish and rouen ducklings and 2~4 day old muscovy ducklings
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post #9 of 12
5/17/08 at 4:02am

you can give her a crushed TUM (this is an emergency substitute the calcium gluconate the vet would normally give in an eggbound situation)... let her sit on a nice warm steamy towel and lubricate with some KYgel... fl

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here is where I store my links and information:
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post #10 of 12
7/19/08 at 9:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dlhunicorn 

you can give her a crushed TUM (this is an emergency substitute the calcium gluconate the vet would normally give in an eggbound situation)... let her sit on a nice warm steamy towel and lubricate with some KYgel... fl


Tums? Really? I have a "swollen abdomen, listless, poopy butt hen in a cat carrier in my kitchen, too. I've palped her abdomen and I can feel some hard, round masses to either side of her vent. Don't know if that's anatomy or eggs.

I'll get some Tums right away, and also try to lube her up and see what I can help along. I've already bathed in warm water, etc. Poor baby.

Neb
Kingston, WA

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures › Sick hen, swollen abdomen/vent area...HELP!!!l