24 week-old pullet - eggbound? maybe vent prolapse

[Lothiriel]

Hey,
One of my Golden Nuggets from S&G Poultry has been acting lethargic for about 2 days. Her sister is the same age/breed and has been laying for about 2 weeks. Carmel doesn't lay.

Carmel has been kind of standing around, puffed up and tail down, and she walks funny - kind of like a limp, and her abdomen is swollen. If I squeeze it to feel anything inside she'll try to move away like it hurts. I can't feel anything like an egg or a hard mass inside. I don't think she's eaten much at all today, because I can't feel her crop. I can't say much for the poop either.

Her eyes are bright, breath doesn't smell. No nasal discharges.

I've had a hen before who was an internal layer, and I think Carmel is showing very similar symptoms. Is it possible for a pullet who hasn't started to lay yet to be an internal layer? Or could it be that she's got something else wrong?

Thanks!

 

[Lothiriel]

This is what's coming out when she tries to use the bathroom..

She's acting very lethargic today - she's normally a very anti-people chicken, but she isn't doing anything today. She's laying down now and keeps her eyes closed most of the time. She'll "wake up" once in a while and look around, but goes right back.

If she is an internal layer, is there anything to do about it, or should I just cull her?

 

[Lothiriel]

She pooped... Or something like that. I think it looks like egg yolk and white. And I got a picture of her vent just in case it would help.

I gave her some bread and she ate a little of it. She also got up and is standing now.

 

[matthewschickens]

L,

I think that if you put her in warm water and try to move them out with your hands it would help. You should be able to feel the eggs.

Matthew

 

[matthewschickens]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=210732

http://backyardchickens.yuku.com/topic/10868/t/Egg-binding-or-internal-laying-.html

 

[Lothiriel]

So... I'll try giving her a TUMS tablet like they did for Rita.. And I'll try the backend bath thing. (If I can find an unused bucket..) Thanks Matthew!

 

[Lothiriel]

Okay... Did the bath/soaking thing. She didn't fight - surprisingly. She was very thirsty though. Sometimes chickens can be dumb and Carmel was. She wouldn't touch the water I put in the cage for her, but once I got her in the bucket of warm water she started drinking and did it until I was done.

When I finished soaking her I massaged her vent area with mineral oil, and I tied to feel around inside. I didn't do a very good job though... Can't remember if the egg comes from the top or the bottom..

We've got a vet book and it says that the temperature of a chicken is an average of 105-106*F, so I took her temp and it's 108.9*. Is that a concern or would it be just because of stress and/or the warm bath?

Carmel tried expelling something after I was all done, but only a little poo came out. It still looks like egg white/yolk stuff, mixed with the white stuff that normally comes out on top of a normal pile.

Oh yeah.. The TUMS tablet crushed up and dissolved in olive oil and put on bread was a total fail. She wouldn't touch it.

 

[matthewschickens]

Perhaps you can crush the tums in some water and try to give it to her. Or put one or 2 tabs in her bath if you do it again.

Have you felt around her bottom for anything that could be in the way?

 

[Lothiriel]

Okay... She's expelling egg whites. This means she's eggbound and has a broken egg inside??

And it looks like her vent is starting to prolapse. There's a swelling just under the opening. What should I do about that?

 

[matthewschickens]

Ah, you've got me there. Never been very good at those kinds of things. We'll see how far I can get you going.

Yes. I believe that means she is eggbound. It's good that it's coming out.

Have you looked for an antibotic?
Have you emailed the chicken doctor? (Though he's slow in getting back...)
Would ice bring the swelling down?