Bitsy bird needs help--laying problem

desertcat

In the Brooder
10 Years
Apr 26, 2009
54
2
29
Amarillo
Just went out to tuck the girls in for the night and found that my 1yr old RIR banty is not right. Stand spraddled, tail down and not looking like her perky self. Color is good, though. When I inspected her vent, it had some slimy, stringy whitish goo stuck in the feathers. Vent itself is normal in color, but maybe a little swollen (wouldn't you know it, camera's out of commission). She's at the bottom of the pecking order and hasn't laid an egg in months.

As always, it's the pet bird and I'm not real sure where to start to help her. I did search internal laying and egg bound, but am probably too flustered to make sense out of a lot of it. Please, could I have someone hold my hand?

TIA,
Laura & Bitsy Bird
 
here is what i do with mine if they are having issues with laying, get them in a warm bath (about half an hour), helps them relax, then massage their abdomen, and put a tums in the water, its a quick calcium boost, and helps them relax- not sure if it will help in your situation- all of my birds tend to be pets- post an update when you can!
 
I think the problem is solved. Went back out after posting to give Bitsy a thorough going over with the flashlight. Pulled her off the roost, inspected vent (looked better than it did earlier), poked around on her abdomen (nothing unusual) and offered her a treat. Wouldn't touch it. Then I looked at her head. The girls had gotten some pitted apricots earlier and her beak was disgusting! Gave her a facial, some treats, a drink of water and sent her back to bed. She looked about as perky as a chicken can be when woken up and was chasing bugs in the tackroom for a while, so I think the crisis has been averted.

Night guys!
 
Warm bath is good. At least 1/2 hour, and massaging the abdomen down towards the vent. Also, crush a Tums and mix with some plain active-culture yogurt and feed the hen (sometimes you need to mix a little dry oatmeal into this, in order to give the beak something to pick up).

If you can't bathe, use a heating pad set on low. Place a towel over the heating pad and place the bird on top (I have done this in my lap, to help the hen stay in place). Getting the belly warm can help relax the muscles so she can expel the egg.
 
It is not normal for a young hen to just stop laying like that. Something has to cause that, whether it's illness, nervous stress, or (as I suspect in this case) internal laying. Internal laying simply means that the egg yolk is "laid" inside the body cavity instead of moving down through the oviduct to be covered in shell and then being laid via the vent. Those yolks that remain in the body cavity may be absorbed or can putrify, causing egg yolk peritonitis - a very serious infection that can be fatal if untreated. The incident today was probably a no-shell egg. Any yolk or albumen that remains inside the oviduct and vent of the hen laying a no-shell egg can also result in serious infection. The unfortunate part of these egg laying problems is that they seldom resolve. Hens may occasionally produce a perfect looking egg, which will lead you to think that everything's getting better, but then go right back to not laying at all or laying soft-shell/no-shell eggs.

Do be on the lookout for signs of infection with this hen. If she acts sickly, lethargic, goes off her feed and water, you'll need to treat her with antibiotics.
 
All is still well this morning. Just spent the last hour puttering around the chicken pen to observe everybody and Bitsy is acting like her usual self, bright, perky and trying to sit on my head while I pulled weeds.

Have no idea why she decided to quit laying, but think it may be stress, or she maybe an internal layer. Truthfully, as long as she's doing well, I don't care if she lays or not. The other girls (a BO, 2 BR and a PR) were acquired for eggs, her job is to be my snuggle chicken.
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I don't know if fresh fruit has the same effect on birds that it can have on people, but I'm really inclined to think that my crisis last night was due to apricot overload...now I know to keep a close eye on everybody after such a yummy treat!

Thanks for all the help, now if someone REALLY is eggbound, I know what to do.
 
I think that is great, i have 6 hens of laying age, but somebody fudges and generally get 4-5 eggs a day...but thats ok with me, they are wonderful to have around...
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i've never seen a RI bantam, can you post her pic?
 

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