Can you prevent a hen from getting egg bound?

[bulldog-girl]

I have read about this happening and I had a hen mysteriously die awhile back with no signs of illness. Is there something you can do to prevent it or is it just bad luck?

 

[gritsar]

I've read in several places, here on BYC included, that overweight chickens and hens that start laying really young (per their breed) can be more prone to being egg bound.
Not much you can do about the age at which they start laying I guess, but maintaining them at a healthy weight couldn't hurt.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Sort of. Decrease daylight hours and/or feed for maintenance (only enough to support the bird, not enough to support reproduction).

 

[nzpouter]

Don't make your bird too fat, keep the lean especially early spring, cod liver oil in their food once a week, etc, etc..

Not 100% prevention, but it helps.

 

[bulldog-girl]

Quote:
How much cod liver oil per bird? Just mix in with the feed?

 

[Lollipop]

Even mineral oil will help, but fish oil is better. To check fat on a chicken, turn the bird upside down on your arm, like cradleing a baby. The soft part ahead of the vent is where fat can be seen. Separate the feathers and check it out. Fat looks like yellow streaks through the skin.