Nella is over 6 years old and a little Ameraucana. She couldn't stand up yesterday at all, so I guessed it might be a stuck egg pressing on the sciatic nerve (had that before). Gave her a warm bath in Epsom Salts and a half a TUMS. Put her to bed and thought that might be the last I saw of her.
This morning, she had laid a soft shelled egg (fully intact) - she rarely lays, only about once every two months or so. She even stood up, fully on her feet, not her elbows, although she couldn't do it for long.
Her appetite was fine. She ate a full bowl of mash and later I gave her a scrambled egg, which again, she ate the whole thing. I have seen her do 6 big poops too, some runny (but she was drinking and eating wet mash, others more normal looking.
As the day has progressed, I put her outside and most times, she sat around, occasionally moving to get shade etc. This evening I have massaged her rear again and also gently massaged her legs. However she is losing the ability to stand for any length of time. She is also panting (which could be because I held her to massage her for about 10 mins) and it is 25'C / 77'F here.
One thing I noticed is a hard round lump on her left side in the abdomen. I don't know what it is but it is like a small pebble about half an inch or so across. Is this the duodenum? Her crop is full, so she has eaten just about anything I put in front of her, although she is not eating or drinking now - probably because she has had enough.
Apart from letting her have another quiet night, I have not bathed her today. If she makes it to tomorrow and looks like she can get through a bath, I'll try again.
She isn't reporting any pain on massage and is preening herself. I have had a hen get an egg stuck and she lost the ability to walk, however once the egg came out, she recovered her ability to walk after about 4 or 5 hours. So I am a bit stumped here.
Anyone had anything similar or know what I can/should do to help her?
Thanks in advance.
This morning, she had laid a soft shelled egg (fully intact) - she rarely lays, only about once every two months or so. She even stood up, fully on her feet, not her elbows, although she couldn't do it for long.
Her appetite was fine. She ate a full bowl of mash and later I gave her a scrambled egg, which again, she ate the whole thing. I have seen her do 6 big poops too, some runny (but she was drinking and eating wet mash, others more normal looking.
As the day has progressed, I put her outside and most times, she sat around, occasionally moving to get shade etc. This evening I have massaged her rear again and also gently massaged her legs. However she is losing the ability to stand for any length of time. She is also panting (which could be because I held her to massage her for about 10 mins) and it is 25'C / 77'F here.
One thing I noticed is a hard round lump on her left side in the abdomen. I don't know what it is but it is like a small pebble about half an inch or so across. Is this the duodenum? Her crop is full, so she has eaten just about anything I put in front of her, although she is not eating or drinking now - probably because she has had enough.
Apart from letting her have another quiet night, I have not bathed her today. If she makes it to tomorrow and looks like she can get through a bath, I'll try again.
She isn't reporting any pain on massage and is preening herself. I have had a hen get an egg stuck and she lost the ability to walk, however once the egg came out, she recovered her ability to walk after about 4 or 5 hours. So I am a bit stumped here.
Anyone had anything similar or know what I can/should do to help her?
Thanks in advance.