Egg bound

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

How's little Turkey doing? That Vet just knew she had it because of her tummy. She knew chickens really well.

Little Turkey is still going back to the coop and to the nest box. She got out this morning at a little,walked around a little and went back to the nest box. im stumped some say she maybe broody but she is a very docile broody. ive seen broody and she isn't growling puffing up and acting crazy. she cluck clucks ever little bit sometimes but I know a brrody hen wants to growl even off the nest she isn't like that. si im stumped. I haven't taken her to the vet. my real only concern now is she isn't eating hardly anything.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Was your girl able to walk? Mine can only wobble. I wasn't aware that their swelling would never go down. Wow, what a bummer!

My hen could waddle around. The size of her belly increased gradually over a year or maybe more. Her belly was big getting big before we even diagnosed her. I don't know if your hen's belly got big gradually or all or a sudden. I wonder if it was a more sudden increase in size, if it is more likely to decrease in size with treatment. That's why I wondered about the difference between a big mushy belly and big firm belly in my previous post. Liquid material in the peritoneal cavity might be more like swelling that can reduce in size maybe.

 

[tenmile67]

@scratchandpeck

Penny's tummy swelled fast and is hard. Her swelling hasn't gone down at all. She has list a lot of weight and eats like a horse !

 

[scratch'n'peck]

@scratchandpeck

Penny's tummy swelled fast and is hard. Her swelling hasn't gone down at all. She has list a lot of weight and eats like a horse !

Since her tummy got big fast then it is not just an accumulation of egg material that missed the oviduct in her peritoneal cavity. So maybe the antibiotics will help decrease the size of her tummy eventually. I'm glad you have a good vet who understands chickens. Too bad the vet isn't closer, but most vets are comfortable answering some questions by phone once they have examined the animal. Keep us posted on Henny Penny's progress.

 

[nknkdvt]

I just lost a girl this morning. She was sick last year so I wormed and treated everyone and she got better. She's been laying thin shelled eggs but looked and acted ok. Very tame, likes to be petted. But this morning, she could not get up. I felt her abdomen and it was hard. Did a warm bath and massage and she seized and died. I autopsied her and she had a huge layered mass of egg yolk inside of her, about baseball to softball sized. ugh. She was a red star hybrid, about 4 yrs old. I'll have to check her sister to make sure she's ok. Will miss her.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Sorry for your loss @nknkdvt Egg Yolk Peritonitis is a nasty condition. I hope your other Red Star is okay.

 

[Little Coop]

One of my RIR 3 yr old hens is exhibiting all the symptoms...tail down, comb limp, pushing, no egg. One of the girls left me a 4oz egg two days ago, so am suspicious that it was her and she's backed up. Gave her two 15-30 minute warm baths, lubed vent with some olive oil, mostly external. Can't see or feel an actual egg, although there is swelling below. After the last bath, she was outside in hopes moving around would help, and when I went out to ck her, there was a small (maybe an inch long oval) piece of flesh, looks like fat. She has pooped, but otherwise, this is all I've seen. She seems alert, but not wanting to move around.

Anyone?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Hmm... It does sound like she is egg bound. The flesh sticking out, on the other hand, sounds like it could be a bit of a prolapse, which could lead to swelling and the tail down, too. In this thread they also discussed giving easily absorbed calcium, either in the form of something like Tumms or in liquid form (available at farm stores). A rise in blood levels of calcium helps the oviduct contract and helps expel an egg.

Maybe it would help to start a new thread in this section. You might get more answers than this older thread.

 

[Little Coop]

I'm afraid the flesh more than stuck out....it was on the ground. She is still alert, will peck at food, and I have special water in with her -mixed with a solution of electrolytes, etc, designed for young or sickly chickens.

I'm new at this, will try to figure out how to start a new posting. Thank you for your reply!

 

[Eggcessive]

One of my RIR 3 yr old hens is exhibiting all the symptoms...tail down, comb limp, pushing, no egg. One of the girls left me a 4oz egg two days ago, so am suspicious that it was her and she's backed up. Gave her two 15-30 minute warm baths, lubed vent with some olive oil, mostly external. Can't see or feel an actual egg, although there is swelling below. After the last bath, she was outside in hopes moving around would help, and when I went out to ck her, there was a small (maybe an inch long oval) piece of flesh, looks like fat. She has pooped, but otherwise, this is all I've seen. She seems alert, but not wanting to move around.

Anyone?

It sounds like she may be an internal layer by her laying the piece of flesh that could have been a "lash egg." I'm not an expert on that, so I would still suspect that she could be egg bound. I also agree that a dose of calcium would be good for her. You can insert a finger 1-2 inches inside the vent to check for an egg (use a rubber glove, and lubricant if needed.) Internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis are both diseases that older high production egg layers can get. Here is some info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/473989/weird-egg-weird-clump-lash-graphic-pics
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/79443/tell-me-about-your-internal-layers