Are certain breeds more prone to being Egg Bound?

[sweetpea03]

We just lost our last EE this morning. She was 1 1/2. We lost the other three last fall. They had barely started to lay before the passed. I was hoping this last hen would make it longer. She seemed to be doing quite well until yesterday. She showed all the signs of being egg bound...droopy tail, not moving around much, not eating much, vent contracting a lot as if trying to push out an egg. I tried to help her by soaking her in warm water and isolating her so she could lay. She jumped into her nesting box yesterday and seemed to be doing somewhat ok under the circumstances. When I checked on her this morning, she wasn't doing very well at all...and moments later she passed.

Maybe I shouldn't be so attached to these hens, but I really want to know why all of my EEs passed at such a young age. Is it something we're doing or bad genetics or....who knows what else. All of our other birds seem to be doing fine.

So any advice or sharing of knowledge would be greatly appreciated! TIA!

 

[nesther]

Um, I need help. Well, it's not urgent, but I wanna know what breed my chicken is. She is orangey and lays normal colored brown eggs.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm so sorry, it's especially sad to lose such young birds. I am a veterinarian but not a poultry expert, but over the years I'm learning! I do post every one of my birds that dies or is euthanized, because I need to know what was wrong. Haven't actually found an egg bound hen yet here. Sick hens often look like yours regardless of the cause. It's also very true that many sources of chicks DO NOT select for longevity at all. When breeding stock is only used for one year especially, long term health suffers bigtime. If there are management issues, parasites, etc. try to sort it out. Again, I'm sorry for your losses. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

I'm so sorry, it's especially sad to lose such young birds. I am a veterinarian but not a poultry expert, but over the years I'm learning! I do post every one of my birds that dies or is euthanized, because I need to know what was wrong. Haven't actually found an egg bound hen yet here. Sick hens often look like yours regardless of the cause. It's also very true that many sources of chicks DO NOT select for longevity at all. When breeding stock is only used for one year especially, long term health suffers bigtime. If there are management issues, parasites, etc. try to sort it out. Again, I'm sorry for your losses. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

PS Consider contacting the breeder/hatchery. They may want to know that those particular birds are doing so poorly; If no-one complains they'll never know. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

PS Consider contacting the breeder/hatchery. They may want to know that those particular birds are doing so poorly; If no-one complains they'll never know. Mary

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

We just lost our last EE this morning. She was 1 1/2. We lost the other three last fall. They had barely started to lay before the passed. I was hoping this last hen would make it longer. She seemed to be doing quite well until yesterday. She showed all the signs of being egg bound...droopy tail, not moving around much, not eating much, vent contracting a lot as if trying to push out an egg. I tried to help her by soaking her in warm water and isolating her so she could lay. She jumped into her nesting box yesterday and seemed to be doing somewhat ok under the circumstances. When I checked on her this morning, she wasn't doing very well at all...and moments later she passed.

Maybe I shouldn't be so attached to these hens, but I really want to know why all of my EEs passed at such a young age. Is it something we're doing or bad genetics or....who knows what else. All of our other birds seem to be doing fine.

So any advice or sharing of knowledge would be greatly appreciated! TIA!

I'm so sorry for your loss! Were your chickens getting oyster shell? I've read that if the hens aren't getting enough calcium that the eggs will have softer shells and therefor raise the changes of becoming egg bound.

"An egg bound hen literally has an egg stuck in her oviduct. It is most common in young chickens. It could be due to a large or double yolked egg that is too large to pass through, genetics or a calcium deficiency. Calcium is needed for proper muscle contraction. Too much protein in a hen's diet can also cause egg binding. Other potential causes are internal worms, low quality feed, dehydration or weakness from a recent illness."

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/06/egg-bound-hens-how-to-recognize-treat.html

 

[nesther]

I feed Nesther oatmeal some times. She loves it! She is also a great weeder for my moms beloved garden!

 

[sweetpea03]

PS Consider contacting the breeder/hatchery. They may want to know that those particular birds are doing so poorly; If no-one complains they'll never know. Mary

I'm starting to wonder if it actually was egg bound or if some bad genetics from the breeder. Unfortunately, I got these chicks from a farm store, but I think I know who their supply was so I'm going to contact them. I've been meaning to do so, but kind of forgot since this last chicken had been doing so well. Thanks for the reminder! I'm off to make some calls!

 

[sweetpea03]

I'm so sorry for your loss! Were your chickens getting oyster shell? I've read that if the hens aren't getting enough calcium that the eggs will have softer shells and therefor raise the changes of becoming egg bound.

"An egg bound hen literally has an egg stuck in her oviduct. It is most common in young chickens. It could be due to a large or double yolked egg that is too large to pass through, genetics or a calcium deficiency. Calcium is needed for proper muscle contraction. Too much protein in a hen's diet can also cause egg binding. Other potential causes are internal worms, low quality feed, dehydration or weakness from a recent illness."

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/06/egg-bound-hens-how-to-recognize-treat.html

Thank you! They've been getting oyster shell, but most of the time they peck around it and won't eat it. I just wish I knew if she really was egg bound or if something else was going on. I'm off to do more research!