I think my hen is egg bound- need advice.

[sandykopandy]

My 10 month Ameracauna has not laid in three or four days. (This has never happened.) Today I am feeling concerned because she seems on edge and not quite right. Her tail was going up and down in that "breathing" way it does when they poo and lay, but nothing comes out. I have not done the warm bath yet because I cannot figure out how I could hold her in it for 20 minutes and keep the water as warm as it should be. I did manage to put KY jelly in and around her vent. (Nothing like doing THAT on a Sunday morning!) Her vent was opening and closing and appeared a bit swollen, but then to be honest, I'm not sure what a normal vent looks like. She's not listless like the descriptions I've read, but my sense is that something is wrong. At what point do I need to get her to a vet?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Could she be molting?

How is she walking? A sign of being egg bound is walking like a penguin.

 

[blondiebee181]

Yeah if she is waddling a lot, spending a lot of time sitting around or in the nest for a long time with no results. Like you said panting with her tail going up and down is a sign, overall stressed out than usual....can be signs of binding but mostly older or undernourished birds bind. If you can get vitamins and electrolytes in her water and a little penut or olive oil in the water too I heard works....again never personally dealt with binding. Make sure she has constant access to water....has she been stressed for the full 3-4 days? Or just today she is showing stress signs? I have a 5 yr old SLW who's laying is starting to drop off and after not laying for 4 weeks, sat in the nest almost all day and managed to pass her egg.

 

[sandykopandy]

Thanks. I don't notice her walking being any different or more waddly than usual. I was initially thinking molt- but she doesn't appear to be losing feather and the movement of her vent- that seems more like an egg issue. Her behavior has been more aggressive since yesterday, although she's at the top of the pecking order so a little on the rude side anyway

. But it's like she has severe PMS today where everyone is on her last nerve. I think I'll try the olive oil on some black oil sunflower seeds, which seems an efficient way to get it in her. She is eating and drinking well. I feel like an expectant father.

 

[sandykopandy]

Oh, and I should say that she doesn't sit at all. She doesn't even go into the box. It's as if she's taken a sabbatical!

 

[blondiebee181]

It is normal for hens to take a few days off of laying....my girls do it from time to time and they are 7 mos. So if her behavior is still pretty normal I wouldn't worry too badly. Most egg bound hens will sit in the box for hours as if they know an egg is coming but just can't pass it. Absolutely no harm in attempting a remedy though. Try the oil for sure and the vitamins/electrolytes...those will be good for all of your birds anyway. Monitor closely for the next couple days for downturns or forward progress. Good luck!

 

[seminolewind]

All my layers take a time out. Some skip a day or two. Others skip a month or two in the winter or summer. I got over a dozen eggs a day for months and just lately, only 5-6 , sometimes less. It's hot here. But they're all molting too. Vents do pulse all the time. If she had an impacted egg upthere, she would look terribly uncomfortable and may pant.

 

[silis]

my chicken is not laying and i noticed that yesterday and i'm a little worried. What can i do oh and she is not eating much.

 

[blondiebee181]

my chicken is not laying and i noticed that yesterday and i'm a little worried. What can i do oh and she is not eating much.

Exhibiting all the symptoms described here? For how long? How old? What's her diet? Like I said, there is no harm in adding a little olive or nut oil to her water and some dossolvable electrolyte/vitamin powder. May help. There is further info and remedies about binding in the learning center here in the section on diseases and injuries.

 

[blondiebee181]

Oh and if you search the forum for egg binding there are lots of other threads about it.