Another Egg Bound Hen.

The hen which laid soft shell yesterday still dropping her wings like she is going to lay again, she was doing it since she started laying this year, the vet checked her and said she isn't sick, she just needs to eat and drink more, her eggs weren't normal looking since she started laying and she laid them all from the perch.
 
The hen which laid soft shell yesterday still dropping her wings like she is going to lay again, she was doing it since she started laying this year, the vet checked her and said she isn't sick, she just needs to eat and drink more, her eggs weren't normal looking since she started laying and she laid them all from the perch.

Yes Bertolli still looks bad as well. @casportpony would be so proud of me, I just wrestled that weak hen into submission all by myself and did 60 ml of fluid myself, and then a little later I did a very thin watery Kaytee feeding. I am wondering if I can just mix the Kaytee into the save-a-chick fluids next time, that would save time and stress on her?
 
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Yes Bertolli still looks bad as well. @casportpony would be so proud of me, I just wrestled that weak hen into submission all by myself and did 60 ml of fluid myself, and then a little later I did a very thin watery Kaytee feeding. I am wondering if I can just mix the Kaytee into the save-a-chick fluids next time, that would save time and stress on her?
If I remember right, I was mixing the Kaytee feed with Gatorade when i was tube feeding a sick peachick last winter.
 
I hope I can, it will mean catching her a lot less if I can do both together.

Well, I didn't hear a yeah or a neah, so I mixed the Kaytee into the fluids and gave her another 60 mls at 1:30. She behaved very well, and when we were done she walked away and let out one of those big loud "What was that?" Peahen honks.
 
Quote: You know I'm still trying to figure out the best treatment... Tubing is part art, part science, and I'm still trying to collect all the science facts. I think that the ideal daily fluid intake for a laying hen is probably 10-15% of their body weight, so for a large peahen, that's 400-600ml of fluids per day. The amount I shoot for is 10%, partially because that's what my vet has me do. She also suggested tubing 120ml of Kaytee twice a day, but some of my hens can only take 90 at a time. Trying to get all that food and water in them is tricky, so that's where the art part comes in. There's also the fact that each hen is different. Bottom line, do like I do and go with your gut feeling.
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FWIW, gave my hen 60ml fluids and calcium, now I'm gonna give 60ml of either Kaytee or lay crumbles (have size 30 french tube which is large enough that crumble pass through it)

-Kathy
 
Looking at these, I am thinking the critical time for hydration and calcium may be approx. 24 hours prior to the expected lay time of the egg. If I use Bertolli as an example, she has been laying every other day. Her last egg was laid yesterday 5/17 at 7pm. So I will be expecting another egg on 5/19 around sundown, I will expect that this egg is going to enter her uterus tonight 5/18 around sundown, it needs to spend approx. 20-26 hrs. in there getting plumped up with fluids and coated with calcium, correct? Is there any reason why giving Calcium gluconate 23% tonight would be contraindicated? I am thinking I would like to try doing this ahead of time to see if it prevents a repeat of what happened with these last 2 eggs? Any thoughts?

I am hugely relieved to report that this morning has been relatively Drama Free for once. Collected 3 eggs all normal and all hens appear normal and not distressed. Bertolli looks rough, but is walking around and pecking at things also preening a bit.
I was thinking the same thing this morning and I'm going to try to stay ahead of them like you've suggested.

-Kathy
 
You know I'm still trying to figure out the best treatment... Tubing is part art, part science, and I'm still trying to collect all the science facts. I think that the ideal daily fluid intake for a laying hen is probably 10-15% of their body weight, so for a large peahen, that's 400-600ml of fluids per day. The amount I shoot for is 10%, partially because that's what my vet has me do. She also suggested tubing 120ml of Kaytee twice a day, but some of my hens can only take 90 at a time. Trying to get all that food and water in them is tricky, so that's where the art part comes in. There's also the fact that each hen is different. Bottom line, do like I do and go with your gut feeling.
big_smile.png


FWIW, gave my hen 60ml fluids and calcium, now I'm gonna give 60ml of either Kaytee or lay crumbles (have size 30 french tube which is large enough that crumble pass through it)

-Kathy


I was thinking the same thing this morning and I'm going to try to stay ahead of them like you've suggested.

-Kathy


Yeah I kind of figured this was a gut feeling type situation. I was just hoping I wasn't going to hear "good lord never mix Kaytee with fluids!"
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I also gave her 1 ml of calcium when I did the 1:30 fluids. 400 - 600 mls, seems like a lot, if I am doing oral fluids I can only do 60-90 at a time, that would be like 8 x daily, I might as well carry her around with me, or put her back in the tub during the day. I think I will try fluids 4 x Daily and add 1 ml of the calcium each time, just to try to spread it out over the course of the day tomorrow when she is processing that next egg. I need to get a tube that will pass crumble, I have nothing that large.
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