Chicken Not Laying or Pooping

[Tessa935]

Hello - I have a flock that started laying the week before Christmas. Last week I noticed just the yolk with no shell lying under the roost each morning. I couldn't figure out which one was having the issue until I noticed her off by herself. I brought her in and thought she was egg bound, so gave her two warm baths with Epsom salts and massaged her. No egg. I then stuck my finger up the vent and can't feel an egg or any shell, but pulled out a bunch of yellow liquid (I'm assuming an egg with no shell). This morning and this afternoon I pulled out poop and still a yellow substance. Still feel no egg or shell. She's not interested in eating or drinking until after I clean her out. I think the problem is her body isn't forming an eggshell. I did mix crushed up calcium tablets in with pumpkin and yogurt yesterday and today. Has anyone ever experienced an egg bound chicken with no shell? I'm at a loss - everything I Google is for eggshells. I don't know what else to do for this girl. Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are you feeding a balanced layer feed? Do your pullets get crushe oystershell on the side to take as they need it? It sounds like your pullet is having impacted oviduct symptoms or her shell gland is not working well. Calcium deficiency could be a problem, and can cause egg binding or soft shells.

I would give her half of a human calcium tablet for the next few days to see if she starts laying a formed shell. Also since she has had a ruptured egg, I would try to get some antibiotics to treat any infection. Amoxicillin (Fish Mox) which is sometimes found in feedstores, but also found online is good. Dosage is 250mg twice a day given orally for 7-10 days. Enrofloxacin (Baytril) is also good and can be found online for pigeons at Jedds.com. Dosage of the 10% liquid is 0.05 ml per pound given orally tice daily for 5 days. Baytril is banned in poultry, but some vets still prescribe it for reproductive infections.

 

[Tessa935]

Are you feeding a balanced layer feed? Do your pullets get crushe oystershell on the side to take as they need it? It sounds like your pullet is having impacted oviduct symptoms or her shell gland is not working well. Calcium deficiency could be a problem, and can cause egg binding or soft shells.

I would give her half of a human calcium tablet for the next few days to see if she starts laying a formed shell. Also since she has had a ruptured egg, I would try to get some antibiotics to treat any infection. Amoxicillin (Fish Mox) which is sometimes found in feedstores, but also found online is good. Dosage is 250mg twice a day given orally for 7-10 days. Enrofloxacin (Baytril) is also good and can be found online for pigeons at Jedds.com. Dosage of the 10% liquid is 0.05 ml per pound given orally tice daily for 5 days. Baytril is banned in poultry, but some vets still prescribe it for reproductive infections.

Thank you so much! Just ordered the Fish Mox from Chewy so I’ll start that as soon as I get it. Yep, I have oyster shells in a separate feeder for them and also use the Producer’s Pride layer feed from TSC. I started the calcium pill yesterday so I’ll keep that up too.