egg bound or what else could it be?

[jtodek]

I have a hen who is 5 years old. She's been acting a little weird lately. I noticed it 3 days ago. Just not as peppy. She's still eating and drinking. Her comb is still red, her feet look a little pale but not white. Could just be her coloring its hard to tell.

I'm trying to figure out whats wrong with her. We just lost one chicken who was retainining water. I picked her up and tried to massage her belly to see if she was retaining water as well. It almost felt like sand or a crushed egg on the left side of her belly, 4 inches in front of her vent. Is this were the eggs are formed? Is it an egg bound? I don't know exactly how to flush it to see if egg comes out. Do I just take a syringe and squirt? Should I give her antibiotics? I have penicillin from the goats. Is it the same thing?

The vet wont see her until the 9th and that being over a week away I don't want to wait. What else could the issue be? What are signs I should look for or how do I help? I'm going to give her a warm bath today when I get home from work and put her separately.

I haven't noticed any soft shell eggs in the coop. I want to make an infographic to help save chickens. lol If this is happening then look for this, if not, then go back and look at this yatta yatta. Maybe I'll collect resources from backyard chickens and add it to the blog one day! First though, need to help my poor chicky.

 

[jorj]

we had an egg bound chicken once we first gave her a warm bath then I put a food grade oil on my hand and went in the vent to massage it out. also I would try antibiotics as last resort.

 

[cooingdove]

oh no, your poor hen! sounds like egg bound to me, i would hold off on the penicillin for now, have you researched if that is ok for chooks? i dont really have anything else to say, good luck!

 

[jtodek]

we had an egg bound chicken once we first gave her a warm bath then I put a food grade oil on my hand and went in the vent to massage it out. also I would try antibiotics as last resort.

could you feel an egg from massaging her? When you say go into vent, I tried with my other chicken used some lube and a latex glove and felt around but didn't feel anything. Did it work? Food grade oil like olive oil? She isn't walking like a penguin but her tail is a little bit down. She's still going out with the other chickens. I'm just worried it broke inside her. Will her body get rid of it normally? I'm going to see if her vent keeps pulsing but didn't read that resource until after I left for work. I'm so anxious to get back and try to help!

 

[jtodek]

oh no, your poor hen! sounds like egg bound to me, i would hold off on the penicillin for now, have you researched if that is ok for chooks? i dont really have anything else to say, good luck!

They mentioned that because its over the counter and then some other perscription that starts with balx but that has to be prescribed and I'm not sure how I would get it prescribed without going to the vet?

 

[jorj]

we have also had a hen that wasn't egg bound and had a swollen infected abdomen that we used a chicken antibiotic that they take by mouth. I would say bare skin with olive oil would work best. if it breaks you can try to carefully remover small bits of shell with out damaging the vent, good luck!

 

[jtodek]

we have also had a hen that wasn't egg bound and had a swollen infected abdomen that we used a chicken antibiotic that they take by mouth. I would say bare skin with olive oil would work best. if it breaks you can try to carefully remover small bits of shell with out damaging the vent, good luck!

thank you I shall give it a try. Did you have to go to the vet to get the antibiotic? Do you remember what it was? I wont go that route most likely but am curious

 

[jorj]

I did get it at the vet but I forget the name. sorry EDIT... I do remember it was a white powder that you mix with water if that helps.

 

[jtodek]

update: i gave her a bath. i really dont think shes egg bound tho. no other systems i did find a couple mites and am treating with escelor psp. dont think thats the issue though.

 

[Kiki]

update: i gave her a bath. i really dont think shes egg bound tho. no other systems i did find a couple mites and am treating with escelor psp. dont think thats the issue though.

Could be any one of these:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/disorders-of-the-reproductive-system