Sick Hen!! please help

[rebrascora]

Well done for getting her cleaned up a bit.

The pecking at her feet may be to do with the egg putting pressure on the sciatic nerves, similar to how we can get pain in the back of the knee and heel from a trapped nerve in our back. It's worth checking the soles of her feet to make sure she hasn't got bumble foot though, which is a swelling of the foot pad usually topped off with a small black scab, caused by an infection.

That abdomen looks quite swollen to me. Compare it to one of your other chickens. I'm talking about the area 3-4 inches below her vent, between her legs. It's difficult to tell from a photo, but if you feel another hen and then her, there should be a noticeable difference if I am right, but it could just be the camera angle.

 

[uraqt292]

Ok we cleaned her up, gave her some tums, been putting water in syringe to make sure she is getting plenty of water. I made a mush with water and pellets. She hasn't eaten that. She has been eating meal worms. She has pooped yellow about four times and just this morning it had a little green with it. We were able to do an internal exam for an egg about 1 to 1 1/2" in. Didn't feel anything. We brought her in and are keeping her warm as well.

 

[uraqt292]

I have called every vet around me and no one handles chickens....

she is eating the mush know but still hunched back. I don't know what else to try. I am going to give her another Epson salt bath when I get home.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry.

I really don't know what else you can try. I agree with @rebrascora that her abdomen does look like it's swollen/bloated. Do you think that it is? Does it feel hard or like it has fluid in it?

At this point try to make her as comfortable as you can. An epsom salts soak can be soothing so that would be good.

 

[uraqt292]

It doesn't feel hard...it really doesn't feel any bigger then the other hens. I picked up some Durastat at with oregano. Going to try that too.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Bruster Rooster]

My wife & I have been having similar problems with our 11 month Buff Orphanton. This evening, I found her sickly, stressed & walking like a penquin. She had been in & out of the nest for most of the day. When out of the nest, she kept squatting & trying to poop. It was obvious that she had a bowel blockage. I had some experience with this before & felt that she most likely had an egg stuck near her oviduct & vent. Using the guide below, (click on link below)we were able free the blockage & help her to pass the egg:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-binding-symptoms-treatment-and-prevention

We could not feel the egg with a finger & that turned out to be because the egg was without a shell & just had a membrane around it. We used a good lubricant in a big eye dropper & used a finger to spread it around up in her vent. We then soaked her rear half in warm epsom salt water for 15 minutes, while massaging her abdomen under her vent area the whole time. Surprisingly, our hen was very cooperative & seemed to enjoy it. I took a calcium carbonate capsule & spread the contents on a piece of bread & she ate it, without problem. (That is supposed to help her with pushing the egg out.) We then put in an indoor pen, in a quiet area, to help her relax. Right away, she squatted, strained real hard & out popped the soft shelled egg. Almost immediately, she began pooping. She is now doing great. A week ago, it costs us $210 to get a Vet to do almost the same thing for the same chicken. I've learned that once a chicken has these type problems, it is likely to happen again.

If not too late, I hope this can help you.

 

[Flocksure]

I recently had a young hen pass a bound egg. Lots of water and electrolytes helped tremendously. I just used Gatorade, and the soft egg passed within 6 hours. Used a syringe (no needle!) to make sure she drank it.

 

[uraqt292]

Thank you. I will be trying that tomorrow. I gave her a bath in Epson salt for 20min tonight and blow dried her. I also gave her a teaspoon of olive oil. Waiting to see if anything happens. I do think the area below the vent (the bulge between her legs) is getting stiff. So I massaged it when I gave her the bath.

 

[chesternester]

Sorry