an egg broke inside my silkie hen!

[ButtonquailGirl14]

How is Peanut?

the same.

I don't know if this has been mentioned before but...
Assuming you can get food into her, you should feed a bundle of something high fiber like pureed pumpkin with oatmeal. This can help "wrap up" any sharp edges from the shells and help them pass easier when she poops. Won't help for what's in the oviduct but maybe what's in the cloaca. Of course it sounds like she's not eating much of anything right now, but that's the $0.02 I got for you. I've never dealt with this before myself. Goodluck.

I see now that my advice is wildly belated and this is an older thread. Oops.

actually, she is eating very well. She is almost perfectly normal, except that she is penguin walking, and she is discharging, and I can feel a massive stuck egg.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Still hoping the best for Peanut!

 

[aart]

the same.

actually, she is eating very well. She is almost perfectly normal, except that she is penguin walking, and she is discharging, and I can feel a massive stuck egg.

Is she pooping?
Are you still soaking and giving extra calcium?

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Still hoping the best for Peanut!

thank you!

Is she pooping?
Are you still soaking and giving extra calcium?

no, I had to move her outside due to my mom telling me I had to, so it’s too cold to soak her, and I read that I shouldn’t use calcium tums for prolonged amounts of time... is that wrong?

 

[aart]

no, I had to move her outside due to my mom telling me I had to, so it’s too cold to soak her, and I read that I shouldn’t use calcium tums for prolonged amounts of time... is that wrong?

Do you have her isolated so you can monitor what's coming out of her?
Not sure about long term Tums.... @azygous would know.

 

[Shadrach]

I've had this happen to two hens here. With one it happened twice in a short period of time. Why, I don't know.
The first time with a hen called Dink I saw the discarded yolk and some pieces of shell when I did the poop inspection at opening up in the morning. Dink was at the vets that evening.
Gloria (my lovely vet here) agreed that Dink had broken an egg inside her oviduct and set about getting the remaining shell out as I watched and learn't.
The problem for the hen is, it is possible that when the next egg passes along the oviduct, small pieces of old shell may get incorporated into the new egg. This can cause iternal scratches or cuts if say a piece of shell is molded into the new egg at the outside edge with a sharp area slightly protruding. You can get further problems if a piece of shell gets molded into the shell of the new egg, giving a bump or sharp protrusion making the egg difficult to pass.
Gloria went about cleaning the old shell out of the oviduct. I looked on with some consternation.
A couple of points that need to be mentioned.
If there is broken shell inside your hen it is likely to be in her uterus. This is where the shell is formed. Above the uterus is an s bend leading to the isthmus, this is where the outer egg membrane is formed.
Once your finger is in the oviduct the S bend I mentioned above can be felt. You should not insert your finger past this point.
Gloria pointed out that given that an egg with shell and thus solid can pass from the uterus to be expelled at the vent a finder is comparatively small so unlikely to cause the hen any great discomfort when inserted.
I always use bare hands for such examinations with finger nails filed well back and smooth. It should be obvious that your finger/hand should be scrupulously clean. If you do use gloves, nitril rather than latex are less likely to tear.
Gloria set about dragging the larger pieces of broken shell out with the tip of her finger. Dink seemed quite comfortable while this happened.
Once gloria had removed the large pieces of shell she flushed the uterus with lots of water fed by very gentle pressure in a syringe. She used a 10cl syringe with a bare end.
Some might mention that there is a chance of flushing remianing egg and shell further into the hens oviduct. This is possible if you use the syring like a high pressure hose, but even then unlikely. Knowledge of a hens anatomy (the S bend above the uterus) helps to demonstrate why.
It took 6 application of syringed water before Gloria was satisfied the uterus was clean.
Two days later Dink laid a perfectly normal egg.
She did break another and I cleaned this one out using the method outlined above.
I have done this once more with another hen.
All the warm baths, Epsom salts, antibiotics and just about everything else mention above are not going to much apart form inconvenience you and the hen.
She doesn't need to be segregated, kept at any particular temperature, or given any particular dietary supplements. The egg is already broken so further calcium is not going to help, if it does at all, until she lays the next egg.
She may expel the broken remains in the normal course of egg laying but there is a risk mentioned above.
If you are comfortable with having your finger in your hens vent then I suggest you 'explore' a little. The vagina is not hard to locate if you bear in mind your finger should point slightly upwards when inserted. The entrance to the intestine is comparatively tight and points downwards slightly as the hen is standing.
You may find attaching a flexible tube to the end of the syringe makes life seem easier, but be warned, it is a lot easier to miss-insert a flexible tube (either to far in, or in the wrong orifice) than it is with the end of a solid syringe.
I can quite understand anyone who feels to nervous about carrying out such a procedure. I was a wreck the first time I did it. Seriously, a bit of exploration with a well lubricated finger will make you feel a lot more confident.
I wish you and your hen the best of luck.

 

[Cryss]

I've had this happen to two hens here. With one it happened twice in a short period of time. Why, I don't know.
The first time with a hen called Dink I saw the discarded yolk and some pieces of shell when I did the poop inspection at opening up in the morning. Dink was at the vets that evening.
Gloria (my lovely vet here) agreed that Dink had broken an egg inside her oviduct and set about getting the remaining shell out as I watched and learn't.
The problem for the hen is, it is possible that when the next egg passes along the oviduct, small pieces of old shell may get incorporated into the new egg. This can cause iternal scratches or cuts if say a piece of shell is molded into the new egg at the outside edge with a sharp area slightly protruding. You can get further problems if a piece of shell gets molded into the shell of the new egg, giving a bump or sharp protrusion making the egg difficult to pass.
Gloria went about cleaning the old shell out of the oviduct. I looked on with some consternation.
A couple of points that need to be mentioned.
If there is broken shell inside your hen it is likely to be in her uterus. This is where the shell is formed. Above the uterus is an s bend leading to the isthmus, this is where the outer egg membrane is formed.
Once your finger is in the oviduct the S bend I mentioned above can be felt. You should not insert your finger past this point.
Gloria pointed out that given that an egg with shell and thus solid can pass from the uterus to be expelled at the vent a finder is comparatively small so unlikely to cause the hen any great discomfort when inserted.
I always use bare hands for such examinations with finger nails filed well back and smooth. It should be obvious that your finger/hand should be scrupulously clean. If you do use gloves, nitril rather than latex are less likely to tear.
Gloria set about dragging the larger pieces of broken shell out with the tip of her finger. Dink seemed quite comfortable while this happened.
Once gloria had removed the large pieces of shell she flushed the uterus with lots of water fed by very gentle pressure in a syringe. She used a 10cl syringe with a bare end.
Some might mention that there is a chance of flushing remianing egg and shell further into the hens oviduct. This is possible if you use the syring like a high pressure hose, but even then unlikely. Knowledge of a hens anatomy (the S bend above the uterus) helps to demonstrate why.
It took 6 application of syringed water before Gloria was satisfied the uterus was clean.
Two days later Dink laid a perfectly normal egg.
She did break another and I cleaned this one out using the method outlined above.
I have done this once more with another hen.
All the warm baths, Epsom salts, antibiotics and just about everything else mention above are not going to much apart form inconvenience you and the hen.
She doesn't need to be segregated, kept at any particular temperature, or given any particular dietary supplements. The egg is already broken so further calcium is not going to help, if it does at all, until she lays the next egg.
She may expel the broken remains in the normal course of egg laying but there is a risk mentioned above.
If you are comfortable with having your finger in your hens vent then I suggest you 'explore' a little. The vagina is not hard to locate if you bear in mind your finger should point slightly upwards when inserted. The entrance to the intestine is comparatively tight and points downwards slightly as the hen is standing.
You may find attaching a flexible tube to the end of the syringe makes life seem easier, but be warned, it is a lot easier to miss-insert a flexible tube (either to far in, or in the wrong orifice) than it is with the end of a solid syringe.
I can quite understand anyone who feels to nervous about carrying out such a procedure. I was a wreck the first time I did it. Seriously, a bit of exploration with a well lubricated finger will make you feel a lot more confident.
I wish you and your hen the best of luck.

If I were in this situation I'd feel a lot more confident about this procedure having read this post. Hope I can find it again if needed. Thank you for posting this.

 

[StaffordshireLady]

I've had this happen to two hens here. With one it happened twice in a short period of time. Why, I don't know.
The first time with a hen called Dink I saw the discarded yolk and some pieces of shell when I did the poop inspection at opening up in the morning. Dink was at the vets that evening.
Gloria (my lovely vet here) agreed that Dink had broken an egg inside her oviduct and set about getting the remaining shell out as I watched and learn't.
The problem for the hen is, it is possible that when the next egg passes along the oviduct, small pieces of old shell may get incorporated into the new egg. This can cause iternal scratches or cuts if say a piece of shell is molded into the new egg at the outside edge with a sharp area slightly protruding. You can get further problems if a piece of shell gets molded into the shell of the new egg, giving a bump or sharp protrusion making the egg difficult to pass.
Gloria went about cleaning the old shell out of the oviduct. I looked on with some consternation.
A couple of points that need to be mentioned.
If there is broken shell inside your hen it is likely to be in her uterus. This is where the shell is formed. Above the uterus is an s bend leading to the isthmus, this is where the outer egg membrane is formed.
Once your finger is in the oviduct the S bend I mentioned above can be felt. You should not insert your finger past this point.
Gloria pointed out that given that an egg with shell and thus solid can pass from the uterus to be expelled at the vent a finder is comparatively small so unlikely to cause the hen any great discomfort when inserted.
I always use bare hands for such examinations with finger nails filed well back and smooth. It should be obvious that your finger/hand should be scrupulously clean. If you do use gloves, nitril rather than latex are less likely to tear.
Gloria set about dragging the larger pieces of broken shell out with the tip of her finger. Dink seemed quite comfortable while this happened.
Once gloria had removed the large pieces of shell she flushed the uterus with lots of water fed by very gentle pressure in a syringe. She used a 10cl syringe with a bare end.
Some might mention that there is a chance of flushing remianing egg and shell further into the hens oviduct. This is possible if you use the syring like a high pressure hose, but even then unlikely. Knowledge of a hens anatomy (the S bend above the uterus) helps to demonstrate why.
It took 6 application of syringed water before Gloria was satisfied the uterus was clean.
Two days later Dink laid a perfectly normal egg.
She did break another and I cleaned this one out using the method outlined above.
I have done this once more with another hen.
All the warm baths, Epsom salts, antibiotics and just about everything else mention above are not going to much apart form inconvenience you and the hen.
She doesn't need to be segregated, kept at any particular temperature, or given any particular dietary supplements. The egg is already broken so further calcium is not going to help, if it does at all, until she lays the next egg.
She may expel the broken remains in the normal course of egg laying but there is a risk mentioned above.
If you are comfortable with having your finger in your hens vent then I suggest you 'explore' a little. The vagina is not hard to locate if you bear in mind your finger should point slightly upwards when inserted. The entrance to the intestine is comparatively tight and points downwards slightly as the hen is standing.
You may find attaching a flexible tube to the end of the syringe makes life seem easier, but be warned, it is a lot easier to miss-insert a flexible tube (either to far in, or in the wrong orifice) than it is with the end of a solid syringe.
I can quite understand anyone who feels to nervous about carrying out such a procedure. I was a wreck the first time I did it. Seriously, a bit of exploration with a well lubricated finger will make you feel a lot more confident.
I wish you and your hen the best of luck.

This information is priceless to all who keep hens experienced or not THANK YOU.

 

[azygous]

The calcium tablet will improve the strength of her contractions and will help expel the egg or if broken, get the parts out. Tums will work, but it's calcium carbonate, and I've discovered that calcium citrate is absorbed much quicker and works a bit better. You need only give the calcium for as long as the problem exists.

The antibiotic is an insurance policy. There is almost always irritation of the reproductive tract when this occurs. This makes it much more likely that bacteria will take advantage of the yolk as an ideal growing medium and this inflamed tissue to multiply, resulting in death in the short term or chronic infection over the long term. I've had immense good luck nipping it in the bud with proactive antibiotic treatment.

I do not soak a hen in distress as a rule. Instead, I install her on a warm heating pad with a moist bath towel over the pad. Warm moist heat is essential for relaxing and moisturizing the tissues. The longest it has taken a hen of mine to expel all the broken egg has been five days, so you need to hang in there.

 

[aart]

I've had this happen to two hens here. With one it happened twice in a short period of time. Why, I don't know.
The first time with a hen called Dink I saw the discarded yolk and some pieces of shell when I did the poop inspection at opening up in the morning. Dink was at the vets that evening.
Gloria (my lovely vet here) agreed that Dink had broken an egg inside her oviduct and set about getting the remaining shell out as I watched and learn't.
The problem for the hen is, it is possible that when the next egg passes along the oviduct, small pieces of old shell may get incorporated into the new egg. This can cause iternal scratches or cuts if say a piece of shell is molded into the new egg at the outside edge with a sharp area slightly protruding. You can get further problems if a piece of shell gets molded into the shell of the new egg, giving a bump or sharp protrusion making the egg difficult to pass.
Gloria went about cleaning the old shell out of the oviduct. I looked on with some consternation.
A couple of points that need to be mentioned.
If there is broken shell inside your hen it is likely to be in her uterus. This is where the shell is formed. Above the uterus is an s bend leading to the isthmus, this is where the outer egg membrane is formed.
Once your finger is in the oviduct the S bend I mentioned above can be felt. You should not insert your finger past this point.
Gloria pointed out that given that an egg with shell and thus solid can pass from the uterus to be expelled at the vent a finder is comparatively small so unlikely to cause the hen any great discomfort when inserted.
I always use bare hands for such examinations with finger nails filed well back and smooth. It should be obvious that your finger/hand should be scrupulously clean. If you do use gloves, nitril rather than latex are less likely to tear.
Gloria set about dragging the larger pieces of broken shell out with the tip of her finger. Dink seemed quite comfortable while this happened.
Once gloria had removed the large pieces of shell she flushed the uterus with lots of water fed by very gentle pressure in a syringe. She used a 10cl syringe with a bare end.
Some might mention that there is a chance of flushing remianing egg and shell further into the hens oviduct. This is possible if you use the syring like a high pressure hose, but even then unlikely. Knowledge of a hens anatomy (the S bend above the uterus) helps to demonstrate why.
It took 6 application of syringed water before Gloria was satisfied the uterus was clean.
Two days later Dink laid a perfectly normal egg.
She did break another and I cleaned this one out using the method outlined above.
I have done this once more with another hen.
All the warm baths, Epsom salts, antibiotics and just about everything else mention above are not going to much apart form inconvenience you and the hen.
She doesn't need to be segregated, kept at any particular temperature, or given any particular dietary supplements. The egg is already broken so further calcium is not going to help, if it does at all, until she lays the next egg.
She may expel the broken remains in the normal course of egg laying but there is a risk mentioned above.
If you are comfortable with having your finger in your hens vent then I suggest you 'explore' a little. The vagina is not hard to locate if you bear in mind your finger should point slightly upwards when inserted. The entrance to the intestine is comparatively tight and points downwards slightly as the hen is standing.
You may find attaching a flexible tube to the end of the syringe makes life seem easier, but be warned, it is a lot easier to miss-insert a flexible tube (either to far in, or in the wrong orifice) than it is with the end of a solid syringe.
I can quite understand anyone who feels to nervous about carrying out such a procedure. I was a wreck the first time I did it. Seriously, a bit of exploration with a well lubricated finger will make you feel a lot more confident.
I wish you and your hen the best of luck.

Excellent information!