4 days still eggbound Update Smiley Smiley

[write2caroline]

My SLW who hatched 7/2009 is still egg bound- egg still intact. I have given her baths everyday, she enjoys the tub, I feed her some scratch as an incentive. I can see the egg. I have used vasaline, mineral oil, EVOO (rachel rays word for Extra virgin olive oil) I have probed her vent, I can turn the egg. The egg is right there by the vent. It doesn't seem enormous but it just won't come out. I turned the egg to see if it would help. She is bearing down all the time. When I probed her in the tub poop comes out, so she isn't necessarily filling up with toxins I hope.

Frankly, I am kind of surprised she is still alive. I was advised not to break the egg. I tried to use spoons to pull the egg out but I can only get one spoon in and she is not at all cooperative. I don't want to sound mean but I feel like I can assist her so much and I am concerned that she is going to be continually egg bound.

She is really trying to get the egg out and makes this funny sound when she bears down. I am really sad for her. I have massaged her abdomine. It feels fine and I don't feel other eggs just this one. I am wondering if it is past a place that her muscles can really push and her vent just can't stretch around it.

I am so tempted to break the egg, spill the contents and take out the shell. I dreamt she had a live birth last night. I am not sure even how to break the shell at this point. I thought of a drywall screw to keep the shell mostly intact.

This is the gross part, when I put my finger in her vent her little muscles draw up around it so I know they are not damaged.

Any suggestions?
Caroline

 

[SilkieBantams2]

Don't break the egg hun, it will harm the chicken. I do know that part. You're doing great with putting her in a tub with warm water. I heard you can massage gently in that area of where her egg is, but be careful enough the egg doesn't break. I also heard of people taking a syringe and shooting up some kind of olive oil. I'll try to find the link for you.

 

[tammye]

keep it up, baths, lub, massage, try putting her on a warm heating pad too. Sounds like she is close, don't like the sound of the dry wall screw, see if you can get one finger to the top of the egg and gently slide it out. Hope she gets it out, poor girl. I would keep her in a darken area to prevent another egg from trying to form while this one is still in her. Never had this problem, far from expert, but I think if you put a screw in the egg you could cause her some internal damage if you are not real careful and a good chance the egg will break from the screw.

 

[SilkieBantams2]

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4100

That had some good pointers in it hun. Also type in egg bound poultry, egg bound chickens under google and just read what comes up. I have been doing this like crazy for wry neck and found many useful threads. Keep us updated sweetie.

Tiffany

 

[Katy]

I replied to your other thread about your hen with what I finally did when nothing else worked.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5676312#p5676312

 

[chuckzoo]

I would not break the egg. The shell can cut her. I would put her in a warm tub of water and work a little mild soap around the vent. If you have someone to hold her while you are working that would be even better. Try to move the egg along by working behind it with gentle pressure and then try to gently stretch the vent.

Best wishes, keep us posted.

 

[write2caroline]

Update:

Day 5
My husband came and asked me if I put an egg in with Betsy.

I ran into the bathroom and next to her was a whopping huge egg. Compared to her other eggs it was a little mishappen and about a 1/4 inch larger in circumfrence. She is one of my original chickens and I can spot their eggs and who layed which.

I was so tempted to break the egg. I tried but her shells are hard. (Which is why I was considering the dry wall screw)

I tried the idea of injecting evoo with a syringe. Since I could get a finger in her vent, I actually used a garlic injector (sans the garlic) with just the oil and got it up in behind the egg. I turned the egg lengthwise - it kept going withwise on her. It had the ball end out and I was not able to flip it with the narrow end out.

I felt so bad for her. She also had some enormous poop so I am hoping no more egg bound issues but I am prepared for them should they occur again.

Thanks all of you for the input including the peep with how she removed the egg. I really appreciate all of you and the advice!

Caroline

 

[chuckzoo]

Glad it turned out well!

 

[tammye]

thank god, you did good work, but I would keep her from laying for a week or so, she has to be a little torn up inside, just like pushing out a hugh baby, so she does not then develope a prolaspe.

 

[blefky]