Broody or Egg-bound?! Help!

[lavenderforluck]

Hi there! We have a young chicken (approximately 7 months) who has been healthy and laying for just over a month. 48 hours ago she began showing symptoms of either being broody or egg-bound but due to overlapping symptoms we can't tell what's going on.

• won't leave nesting box
• will eat and drink a tiny bit but only when we remove her from the box
• not aggressive at all, but squeak-squawks a little when we take her out of the box
• actively pulsing vent
• we saw her poop yesterday after the epsom soak and then today a very large poop after epsom soak
• not active, but bright red comb/wattle (not pale)

We have been giving her 20 minute epsom salt soaks intermittently the past two days and also gave her calcium supplement in case she is egg bound. How long does it typically take this treatment to work if she is egg bound? How easy it is to feel the egg if she is egg bound - would we know for sure if we could feel it? We don't want to break the egg so haven't done an examination yet. We have a vet within an hour drive that could see her, but she seems very healthy otherwise so if we can troubleshoot at home, that would be great.

Our chickens free-range during the day and provided with a really great layer feed by H and H that includes oyster shell. We also have oyster shell available to them as a supplement.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sounds more broody than bound.. can you post photos or video?

Big poop.. a broody signal as they don't make waste inside the nest on the eggs. and a pretty good sign she is not likely bound.

Binding is usually deadly within 48 hours.. and causes lethargy.. much different than broody trance.

 

[Weeg]

To check if she’s egg bound, you can simply stick a lubricated finger up her rear, about 1-2 inches and see is you feel a stick egg. It’s most likely she is broody, for untreated egg bound hens usually die within 48 hours. So I bet you have a broody on your hands! I hope that’s what you want, broodys are super fun, but be careful, you may just end up with more males then you want! Have fun!

 

[lavenderforluck]

To check if she’s egg bound, you can simply stick a lubricated finger up her rear, about 1-2 inches and see is you feel a stick egg. It’s most likely she is broody, for untreated egg bound hens usually die within 48 hours. So I bet you have a broody on your hands! I hope that’s what you want, broodys are super fun, but be careful, you may just end up with more males then you want! Have fun!

We just checked and did not feel an egg. We don't have any roosters, just 11 hens - do you recommend finding fertile eggs or encouraging her not to be broody by removing her from nest?

 

[lavenderforluck]

To check if she’s egg bound, you can simply stick a lubricated finger up her rear, about 1-2 inches and see is you feel a stick egg. It’s most likely she is broody, for untreated egg bound hens usually die within 48 hours. So I bet you have a broody on your hands! I hope that’s what you want, broodys are super fun, but be careful, you may just end up with more males then you want! Have fun!

Can you give chicks to a broody hen overnight or do you have to wait the 21 days? We don't have any fertile eggs - no roosters!

 

[Weeg]

If you want her to be broody, give her some fertilities east sit on and let Her be a momma, otherwise it can be hard to break broody ness, but there are ways if thats what you want. you can slip chick under her at night, but you have to wait till day 21 and they have to be 2 days old or under. Any older and she will reject them. The best way is to get fertilities eggs, do you have any local farms that might be able to sell you some? Or any neighbors that might have fertil eggs?