Quick Guide to Treating Egg Binding
This method is based on my own experiences with egg binding. Before you try any method, confirm that your hen really is eggbound. Feel around her vent for swelling, soreness, hardness and tension. Typical symptoms also include poor appetite, fluffed-out feathers, moderate to extreme lethargy and retracted neck.

Egg Binding
Sometimes a hen lacks the strength and energy to lay her egg. This can be caused by malnutrition which is often not obvious until a problem develops. Egg binding is dangerous for the hen because eggs and bodily waste are expelled from the same opening – the vent. If something is blocking it, her whole digestive system is thrown off balance.
Handle your hen gently during all procedures. Don’t panic, just remain calm. If you can’t handle it you may want to ask someone else to do it for you.

Egg bound hen with diarrhea:



As you can see, her vent and feathers are dirty from diarrhea and her bottom is swollen. These are still the early stages so this hen is still able to move around and eat. You should begin treatment as soon as possible.




You will need:
Tweezers
Gloves
Bathtub or other large container
Water
Olive oil/baby oil
Calcium pill
Syringe

Method:

Step 1
Crush a calcium pill (human), mix it with water and use a syringe to help the bird swallow the mixture.

Step 2
Give your hen a bath in warm water. This will help her relax and help to loosen any tension. If she struggles, hold her down gently and firmly until she settles down. Do not leave her unattended!! I chose to bathe her outdoors where she is comfortable with her surroundings.







Step 3
Rub some oil around her vent. This can help her pass the egg. I use a spray bottle of oil which makes application easier and quicker.

Step 4
Keep your hen hydrated. Check her regularly to make sure she isn’t thirsty. If she's hungry, a scrambled egg will do the trick.

Step 5
Your hen should be close to passing the egg. Feel her bottom to see if the egg is still there.

If the hen cannot pass the egg on her own:

Don’t try to break it if it is whole. If you can see the egg, try to grasp it with your fingers (or tweezers if it’s a soft/shell less egg). Apply more oil to the edges of the vent.

Step 6
Pull gently. As it emerges, apply more oil to help it slip out. With any luck it should slide out without too much difficulty.

Not all cases respond to treatment. If the method does not work and your hen is in pain, you may have to cull her. Sometimes that is the best option.

Good luck with your little patient.

Nutcase