Egg Binding: Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

Fantastic article. I had a suspected egg bound pullet this afternoon (she passed the egg before I could act), but I'm bookmarking this for future reference.

Explanations in plain English we can all understand. Keep up the good work.

Very helpful. Lots of good details to help understand the internal process of the egg formation from start to lay. We had a Brahma that we thought was egg bound but it turned out to be a different issue. The vet couldn’t say for sure as they couldn’t see her in person and diagnosed over the phone as best they could. Just as important to diagnose egg binding, is to be able to rule it out. You give great advice/steps on that as well. Great article. Thank you.

This is a really great article with a lot of practical detail that I wish I had known about sooner. Unfortunately, I have had egg bound hens. With one I did not recognize the symptoms and found her dead later. And with the other, I was unsuccessful in saving her even though I tried. I believe at the moment that my Wyandotte was going to lay an egg she was disturbed and left the nest and huddled in the corner on the floor. I tried the warm bath but was unable to save her. It’s a very sad day when you can’t save your hen, especially your favorite one - which was in another case. Her name was Chelsey. She was a lovely Buff Orpington hen who consistently laid beautiful eggs. She was determined to lay her egg in her own nest, and one day she accidentally was locked out of the chicken house causing a problem. I believe she became egg bound because she was holding it in waiting to get back to her nest. By the time I saw her pacing and wanting in it was too late. I didn’t suspect that she was egg bound though. I left her in her nest, but evidently she had been holding it in for too long, and was unable to lay the egg. I found her dead there later. It was a very sad day. The environment is an important factor in addition to the reasons that the article gave. In both of my egg bound situations the hen’s usual habits of egg laying were interrupted, and that contributed to being egg bound. Chickens are kind of nervous Nellies so they need to feel safe and secure in order to successfully lay their eggs. Make sure that they have access to their favorite nest and are not disturbed during the egg laying process.

Thanks for the information - haven't encountered this yet, but will get the supplies necessary now in case it does happen.

Great article that I bookmarked. Very easy to understand and hopefully I'll never need to do any of it!

I wish I had all this information years ago when we had hens pass away. It might have helped. So many google searches only give you half or less than half of this information.
Now I know I can be ready when/if it happens again. Thank you for sharing.

Excellent information. New chicken keepers may assume a hen is egg bound when that isn’t always the case. One other note, I have found keeping a 5-gallon bucket for their spa baths is handy. Just the right size to stuff a normal sized hen in the water and keep their behind in the warm water. I also add unscented epsom salts to the warm water.

This is wonderful information for all of us newbies and the reason why I choose this group to be a part of. Thank you!!
Would adding a drop or two of essential oil like Lavender or Eucalyptus help to relax the hen when she is in the warm water?

Excellent information! Very thorough... Thank you for this much needed article!

Well done and very useful.

Good information for one that is learning about chickens.

Great advice! Thank you for being precise in your explanations and instructions.

Very good resource for treating an egg bound hen

I followed this article and my little hen had laid the soft shell egg within an hour. Thank you so much for detailed help and adding prevention help.

I was worried about this. I really don't want my girls to get it! But, I know it could happen so I found this article! GREAT ADVICE! Thank you!

Thank you for writing this.
I am getting ready for our first flock of four hens and one of my biggest worries is what to do if/when the birds get sick. The thought of having responsibility for an animal that is in pain or at risk really ruffles my feathers so to speak. Your practical advice is very clear and reassuring.

Well written and very informative. Everyone that keeps chickens Can benefit from the information presented!