Egg bound

[scratch'n'peck]

Oh now I understand about the flesh. I have heard about bits of lining of the oviduct sloughing off.

 

[sarahandbray]

I can see this thread is a little bit older, but I just want to make sure I have the correct steps down.
We purchased five 20-week White Leghorns from a nice, reputable farm (vaccinated, from McMurray).
Four acted OK upon arrival, but one was more lethargic--standing with her eyes closed in the pasture, and then had a nasty, runny, stringy, yellowish poop. Her fluffy butt area looked wet for hours, but I chalked it up to being a rainy day. We are new to chickens, and now, looking back, it seems like maybe the egg burst inside of her or she was egg bound?

Chickens all have free access to Oyster Shells, grit, good feed, and pasture. Could this have happened from a lack of calcium?

And in the future, what should I do if I notice these symptoms? I feel just awful--the next morning, I found her dead, still sitting on the top roost.

The other four have all been laying white eggs and are the best foragers of all the chickens we have at the moment, so they seem good & healthy. I know the feed they were using was homegrown on their organic farm--wondering if they supplemented with enough calcium?

Just want to prevent this in the future! Heart-breaking knowing I might have prevented it.

 

[Eggcessive]

I can see this thread is a little bit older, but I just want to make sure I have the correct steps down.
We purchased five 20-week White Leghorns from a nice, reputable farm (vaccinated, from McMurray).
Four acted OK upon arrival, but one was more lethargic--standing with her eyes closed in the pasture, and then had a nasty, runny, stringy, yellowish poop. Her fluffy butt area looked wet for hours, but I chalked it up to being a rainy day. We are new to chickens, and now, looking back, it seems like maybe the egg burst inside of her or she was egg bound?

Chickens all have free access to Oyster Shells, grit, good feed, and pasture. Could this have happened from a lack of calcium?

And in the future, what should I do if I notice these symptoms? I feel just awful--the next morning, I found her dead, still sitting on the top roost.

The other four have all been laying white eggs and are the best foragers of all the chickens we have at the moment, so they seem good & healthy. I know the feed they were using was homegrown on their organic farm--wondering if they supplemented with enough calcium?

Just want to prevent this in the future! Heart-breaking knowing I might have prevented it.

With those symptoms, she could also have had coccidiosis. With chickens it is sometimes easier to rule out the problems if it doesn't look so obvious. That's the good thing about this forum--many people can give advice.

 

[sarahandbray]

They were all vaccinated for Marek's & Cocci, which doesn't entirely rule it out I guess, but I thought it was less likely...hmmm...

 

[Little Coop]

Sounds like she was already sick when you got her, so you might want to talk to the farm. From my limited experience with eggbound hens, you would have had to catch it a lot earlier to have any success. As far as calcium goes, if the other hens are laying eggs with strong shells, that probably isn't an issue. The other reply about ckg for disease seems reasonable and the farm would be the place to start.

And sometimes, they just inexplicably get sick and for equally inexplicable reasons either get well or drop over. Enjoy your remaining girls, chalk it up to hen raising.

 

[sarahandbray]

Thanks!! The farm we got her from is a really great organic co-op with really conscientious owners (I really, really wouldn't have bought chickens from anywhere sketchy--I know how fast disease can spread!!), and they were very surprised at this news. The other four girls are laying well, acting fine, eating, drinking, and producing good eggs.

Fingers crossed!! Tractor Supply is a 5-minute drive if in case I need antibiotics or Corid in the future...

I'm getting over the loss...other than losing a 6-week-old Barred Rock Roo to a hawk, it's my first fatality!!! Still have 45 healthy, vigorous chickens...

 

[toni3]

Since Wednesday,i am surprised she is still alive as egg binding often kills within 24-48 hours. Have you done a cloacal exam to determine that she is definitely egg bound?

Give her a tums or calcium tablet(break into pieces and give orally,wrap in a pce of meat or cheese if she will not eat it,i use cheese)this usually helps pass egg approx within an hour. Keep her quiet/calm/warm and in a dark location.

 

[casportpony]

Since Wednesday,i am surprised she is still alive as egg binding often kills within 24-48 hours. Have you done a cloacal exam to determine that she is definitely egg bound?

Give her a tums or calcium tablet(break into pieces and give orally,wrap in a pce of meat or cheese if she will not eat it,i use cheese)this usually helps pass egg approx within an hour. Keep her quiet/calm/warm and in a dark location.

Welcome to BYC!

-Kathy

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I am so grateful for this site. I noticed one of my CCLs all fluffed up and behind a bush this afternoon. Thought is was rather odd, so kept checking on her. I put out some cabbage then later apples for the girls, she didn't move. I did a search for egg bound chickens and this thread came up. Thanks to all of these post, I crushed up a tums and put her in a warm bath and just massaged and petted her. She passed a shell less egg after about a half hour. Her she is emptying the dogs water dish. Thanks for all the info!

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I am so grateful for this site. I noticed one of my CCLs all fluffed up and behind a bush this afternoon. Thought is was rather odd, so kept checking on her. I put out some cabbage then later apples for the girls, she didn't move. I did a search for egg bound chickens and this thread came up. Thanks to all of these post, I crushed up a tums and put her in a warm bath and just massaged and petted her. She passed a shell less egg after about a half hour. Her she is emptying the dogs water dish. Thanks for all the info!

I'm glad your pretty hen is doing better. BTW, I was grew up in the Chicago area.