Possibly egg bound hen...

[robinwhiskers]

I had another thread, but this one needed to be more specific. My 2 y/o Sicilian buttercup seemed off suddenly last night (I've been very observant about them since my 4 y/o Plymouth rock died last week without an apparent reason) and this morning as well. Later in the day she seemed fine, the whole time she has been eating and drinking and her comb and wattles are a bright healthy red. However I only saw her defecate a little last night and not today and she hasn't laid in a while, the last time I can think of is a week ago, a shelless egg she laid at night. According to a family member she was trying to lay earlier but I didn't find an egg today, and she has only defecated once a little tonight. She doesn't seem stressed but I've given her 2 epsom warm water soaks since this afternoon and have massaged her/felt for an egg through her vent but I haven't felt anything. Could it possibly be just constipation? Even with that there's been no progress. She is separate roosting in the coop right now (the other birds have been sleeping in the run, it is cooler in summer).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She doesn't seem stressed

My 2 y/o Sicilian buttercup seemed off suddenly last night

What seemed "off"?

Is she not stressed, then very unlikely she's egg bound.

If she's acting normal now, then I would put her back in the coop and check her in the morning. See that her crop has emptied overnight and get photos of the droppings she's left overnight too.

 

[robinwhiskers]

She seemed off in just seeming slower and not as active. She is basically a bantam so is usually very active, not skittish but still flighty and quick in her mocements. She is in the coop separate right now, like I said only pooped once and just a small amount in the past several hours. This morning she seemed sort of sluggish but when I got home at 6pm she was acting fine. I just gave her a little bit of yogurt before bed so I know she has some food in her system since I haven't seen her eat feed today. Hoping her constipation relieves itself a bit tonight...that's what's worrying me.

 

[robinwhiskers]

After a lot of massaging today and monitoring her, I just checked on her going to sleep and she laid a shelless egg! I will definitely leave them the choice of extra calcium just in case and watch her tomorrow. I actually scheduled an appointment with an avian vet tomorrow so I'm glad to be able to cancel that.