Chicken X-ray. Hen has huge egg inside of her…

[Chikenshiken]

3 year old golden comet went to the vet today. If you’ve seen any of my previous posts you know she’s laid a lash egg and has been a little lethargic. Well one vet visit and an X-ray later… 7cm egg is inside of her. On the x ray it looks huge.

Vet is obviously very concerned. She is on medication now for the lash egg symptoms but if her internal egg is not laid or reabsorbed, they said the only solution would be surgery and/or spaying. That is obviously 1. Costly and 2. They’ve said they’ve done the procedure multiple times before. The success rate is very low for surgery and spaying

I obviously want to avoid the spaying/surgery or having to put down my baby as MUCH as possible. What can I do to help her pass this egg? Anything at all? Do I leave it up to chance?? My vet (next week) if xrays show up the same will try to administer a shot to help move things out but i would like to try and help as well. Any suggestions are appreciated

 

[LaFleche]

3 year old golden comet went to the vet today. If you’ve seen any of my previous posts you know she’s laid a lash egg and has been a little lethargic. Well one vet visit and an X-ray later… 7cm egg is inside of her. On the x ray it looks huge.

Vet is obviously very concerned. She is on medication now for the lash egg symptoms but if her internal egg is not laid or reabsorbed, they said the only solution would be surgery and/or spaying. That is obviously 1. Costly and 2. They’ve said they’ve done the procedure multiple times before. The success rate is very low for surgery and spaying

I obviously want to avoid the spaying/surgery or having to put down my baby as MUCH as possible. What can I do to help her pass this egg? Anything at all? Do I leave it up to chance?? My vet (next week) if xrays show up the same will try to administer a shot to help move things out but i would like to try and help as well. Any suggestions are appreciated

Could you please post a picture of the x-ray for us?

Sometimes the grit filled gizzard gets mistaken for a stuck egg.

Is your vet a specialised avian vet?

Several days of administering additional calcium 600 tablets + vitamin D3 can help with contractions to expel a stuck egg, as do warm epsom salt baths of about 15 minutes.

Instead of surgery to spay the hen she can get a hormonal implant (Suprelorin chip) to prevent ovulation. This will last for about 6 months and gives her reproductive system time to heal. But it is quite costly.

 

[Chikenshiken]

Could you please post a picture of the x-ray for us?

Sometimes the grit filled gizzard gets mistaken for a stuck egg.

Is your vet a specialised avian vet?

Several days of administering additional calcium 600 tablets + vitamin D3 can help with contractions to expel a stuck egg, as do warm epsom salt baths of about 15 minutes.

Instead of surgery to spay the hen she can get a hormonal implant to prevent ovulation. This will last for about 6 months and gives her reproductice system time to heal. But it is quite costly.

Yes my vet is an avian vet. I did see the grit in the xray it was small and completely white. He was able to point that out on the xray.
Unfortunately I don’t have it since it was on a tablet but next time I’ll ask for it. Really it is highly speculated to be an egg. He said it “maybe is an organ but he seriously doubts it by the positioning/shape and size” and is almost certain it’s a really big egg. He’s seen chickens with this before sadly he said it’s a common visit


Thank you for the advice. She’s already on a calcium supplement because of her vet but I’ve been slacking on giving it to her because of her illness made me scared to try and force anything in her mouth. But I’ll hop back on it


And I would love to do hormonal implants but it’s illegal where I live! It is so frustrating. I live in Virginia and can’t find anyone who knows a vet who will do it off license. But I talked to another vet and they said most vets in the area will not do it under any circumstance because they could lose their license for it. This is very disheartening because I know the hormone implant is the right direction but impossible for me to find/get.

 

[LaFleche]

I’ve been slacking on giving it to her

It is important she gets the calcium citrate 600 every day to help pass the egg. Add some vitamin C to her diet as well as it helps with calcium uptake. Fresh apple will do.

For how many days is the egg stuck inside her by now?

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be good to see a copy of the X-ray. Salpingitis is very common in hens over the age of 2-3 years. Lash material can be in the oviduct or free in the abdomen. Most of us do not treat suspected salpingitis or use hormone implants because tit is so common. If used early in salpingitis, antibiotics might help, but may not help at all. I would offer the calcium citrate with D for up to a week, and then make sure that she has access to crushed oyster shell.

 

[Chikenshiken]

It is important she gets the calcium citrate 600 every day to help pass the egg. Add some vitamin C to her diet as well as it helps with calcium uptake. Fresh apple will do.

For how many days is the egg stuck inside her by now?

Not sure… but I would not bet on anything more than a week since she had laid a week ago (shellless egg with some lash covering it) I’ll start supplementing her calcium right away

It would be good to see a copy of the X-ray. Salpingitis is very common in hens over the age of 2-3 years. Lash material can be in the oviduct or free in the abdomen. Most of us do not treat suspected salpingitis or use hormone implants because tit is so common. If used early in salpingitis, antibiotics might help, but may not help at all. I would offer the calcium citrate with D for up to a week, and then make sure that she has access to crushed oyster shell.

I only have three chickens left in my flock and all I’m very attached to. I would do anything to give her a healthy and long fulfilled life. The doctor prescribed some anti inflammatory and antibiotic to help. do you think it is too late to ask for the xray? Im really not sure how long they keep X-rays I guess the only way to know is to call. I’ll get back with the xray as soon as possible
Her next checkup is next week

 

[Eggcessive]

I would check with them about the X-ray. They might be able to make a copy on Monday or email you.