Can this chicken lay eggs?

[i love eggs]

.
I bought this chicken with 8 others a month ago. I didn't notice her back was messed up till the next day. I've seen her go in the laying box twice but didn't lay an egg either time. Her tail stays pointed down and her back has a hump towards her tail. Has anyone had personal experience with this?

 

[Mountain Peeps]

A droopy tail and frequent trips to the nest can be a sign of egg binding. This needs to be dealt with asap. I've attached some links you should look into. But, it could also mean nothing at all; it's just better to be safe.

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/06/egg-bound-hens-how-to-recognize-treat.html
http://www.keepingchickensnewsletter.com/site/egg-bound-chicken-symptoms-and-treatment

 

[GOLDENSEABRIGHT]

A droopy tail and frequent trips to the nest can be a sign of egg binding. This needs to be dealt with asap. I've attached some links you should look into. But, it could also mean nothing at all; it's just better to be safe.

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/06/egg-bound-hens-how-to-recognize-treat.html
http://www.keepingchickensnewsletter.com/site/egg-bound-chicken-symptoms-and-treatment

agreed

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

So sorry about your hen. You can do an internal exam to find out if indeed there is a stuck egg. It is VERY easy to do. Put on a latex type glove with a bit of KY Jelly or vaseline on the index finger and gently insert it into her vent straight back. If there is a stuck egg, you will feel it right there. If you have to go in more than 2 inches and you don't feel a hard egg, then there is nothing in the pipes and it is something else.

If she is egg bound, you can do a couple things. First, soak her lower half in warm water in the kitchen sink. Hold her in this water for about 10 or 15 mins. You can also break up a couple of Tums tablets and feed them to her. This calcium will help the contractions to get the egg moving, as will the warm bath.

You might also post this in our emergency section for more help too...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

You might also give her a complete physical from beak to tail, looking for any signs of bugs or other illnesses.

I hope you can get her back to good health soon.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! You've gotten some good advice above. How old is the hen, is she just starting to lay or had she been before you got her? If a chicken has a damaged tail bone/ligaments etc, sometimes they seem to do something like that, there have been a couple of pictures on BYC where hens had that after dog attacks etc, would think sometimes it just happens also. What happens with the hen seems to depend on what is damaged internally.

 

[i love eggs]

Thanks for the advice. I'm pretty sure she's not egg bound. The first time I saw her try to lay was over two weeks ago. She seems to act fine otherwise. I'm pretty sure she's had an injury in the past, and just wondering if it is physically possible to lay with her tail permanently stuck like that.

 

[i love eggs]

Just for follow up incase anyone else ever runs into this . This chicken laid an egg yesterday . I was more than a little excited. She was a few days away from the frying pan!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Just for follow up incase anyone else ever runs into this . This chicken laid an egg yesterday . I was more than a little excited. She was a few days away from the frying pan!

Oh yay!!!!

 

[drumstick diva]

Thank goodness - maybe she realized she was on 'death row,'. Nice of you to update so we all can be relieved.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Very likely she has a congenital malformation of her back/tailbone. If you ever plan on hatching eggs from your flock, do not use hers.