Acting like shes eggbound but isnt!!

[jennypaine86]

My chicken started acting strange yesterday. She had been sitting in her box all day her feathers ruffled out. But she been sticking her rear In and out of the air. She keeps contracting her abdomen. Still eating and drinking but wont stop acting like dhe has to lay. I did xrays on her at work and no egg is there. Im a 13 yr vet tech but only for cat dogs not avaine medicine neither is my boss. I did a warm soak lastnite and was able to feel in her pelvis but still no egg palatble. So at this point im not sure whats going on? Egg bound vs binding? Ugh need help...

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

Does she ruffle her feathers at you when you reach in the box? Does she growl at you when you try to touch her? Does she cluck cluck cluck all over the place when she is out of the nest box? If so, she sounds like she is broody...she wants to hatch a clutch of eggs. They will set on nothing, anywhere, just as if there were eggs beneath her. If she is setting on fertile eggs, section off that area for her so she can hatch by herself and not be bothered by other hens or roosters.

You can always do a physical exam through the vent as well to check for an egg. Put on a disposable glove, some KY-Jelly or Vaseline on the index finger and gently go straight back into her vent. If no egg is present, you will be in the intestinal tract. If an egg is present and within the last inch of the vent, you are in the oviduct and either she is ready to lay or she is egg bound. If you feel an egg 2 or more inches back, the egg is still in the uterus getting the last of the shell on and she is not considered egg bound.

 

[jennypaine86]

She does all of things ! Oh dear. Im such a worrier lol and thos is all new to me thank you very helpful!!