2 year old Hen- Only laid six eggs this year.... Help!

[getaclue]

Great to know. Is it worth bringing her in to see the vet?

Only if you want to spend a lot of money, with the same outcome.

 

[Peace Love Hens]

Is her belly swollen? Does she try to lay at all?

I've read vets can spay hens so they don't lay but I'm guessing that's going to be very costly. Anything is worth a try. I'm not an expert on this but if she was mine and I suspected internal laying I'd pay vets fees

Yes, she has tried laying every day but eventually, gives up. Behind her breastbone, her vent area is severely swollen.

 

[Parront]

Great to know. Is it worth bringing her in to see the vet?

It depends on the vet. And the owner. For my egg-bound parrot, I spent $800. I had to sign a release that I did not want them to resusitate her, just like a DNR for a person. Here is a story about my egg bound Parrot Dylan: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/dylans-story.73096/
She had an egg stuck in the oviduct. Yours is producing eggs and those eggs are accumulating in her abdomen.

 

[Peace Love Hens]

It depends on the vet. And the owner. For my egg-bound parrot, I spent $800. I had to sign a release that I did not want them to resuscitate her, just like a DNR for a person. Here is a story about my egg bound Parrot Dylan: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/dylans-story.73096/
She had an egg stuck in the oviduct. Yours is producing eggs and those eggs are accumulating in her abdomen.

Wow! What an amazing story! Thanks for the info on what is going on with Rubi.

 

[Parront]

I am sorry your Ruby has this issue. Since it is fall now, with the days getting shorter, laying slows down, and that could help her. Laying is not good for her. Maybe she can recover on her own, since it has gone on for such a long time. But, trouble walking and getting on a roost is a bad symptom. Home remedy: keep her in an isolation cage with low amount of daylight, winter all the time for her! No new eggs, and maybe her system can absorb all the internal eggs.
My vet said some Parrot owners get shots to keep the birds from laying. The reproductive tract in a layer is so large, that she said they can not remove it. She is an Avian Specialist, I believe her.

 

[bobbi-j]

Honestly, if it were my chicken I'd put her down and end her suffering. It seems that once a problem like internal laying starts, it can be chronic. It is, of course,your choice if you want to take her to a vet (if you can find one). I wouldn't. It's not practical for me to spend hundreds of dollars on a chicken that may need special cares for the rest of its life when I can replace said chicken for under $50. I know that sounds harsh, but it's my reality. My chickens are in the livestock category rather than pets. Sometimes the hardest thing for us to do is the kindest thing for our animals.

 

[Parront]

Honestly, if it were my chicken I'd put her down and end her suffering. It seems that once a problem like internal laying starts, it can be chronic. It is, of course,your choice if you want to take her to a vet (if you can find one). I wouldn't. It's not practical for me to spend hundreds of dollars on a chicken that may need special cares for the rest of its life when I can replace said chicken for under $50. I know that sounds harsh, but it's my reality. My chickens are in the livestock category rather than pets. Sometimes the hardest thing for us to do is the kindest thing for our animals.

The reason I knew my parrot was in trouble was having chickens die from this. The best layers are the most prone to it. They seem sluggish for a few days, then one morning they are dead. I am one who has to know, so I did open them up to see this in person.

 

[bobbi-j]

The reason I knew my parrot was in trouble was having chickens die from this. The best layers are the most prone to it. They seem sluggish for a few days, then one morning they are dead. I am one who has to know, so I did open them up to see this in person.

I have cut open hens I've put down for ascites. I drained over 40 ounces of water off one. I think it's good to know what's going on with one's flock.

 

[SeaPolka]

Agree with the above posts as well. It's all up to you. Poultry vets can spay a hen in emergencies but if she's just a pet and won't be used for showing or anything then it's probably best letting her go. I understand that's really hard when they're pets but there's lots more hens needing homes out there. Goodluck whatever your choice may be

 

[Parront]

African Grey Parrots live many years. I hopefully bought another 40 years for my pet. Sadly, chickens lives are much shorter. She might only live 1-2 years, in the best case, no matter what a vet does.