Egg binding: Are they prone to repeated episodes?

[LoveOfChickens1]

This is my 1st flock and a couple of days ago, one of my RIR's was egg bound. I separated her from the flock and I treated her for it and finally, on day 2, she was able to pass the egg. Although it was cracked when laid, it was still fully intact. She immediately perked up, started eating/drinking and went back to her normal chicken self. Today, she is running about and you would never know she had an issue. My question is, will she be more prone to repeated egg binding? If so, is there something I can do to help prevent it, in the future. Thanks in advance!

 

[chooks4life]

Yes, as a general rule of thumb if an animal has prolapsed or suffered any complications, it is likely to be prone to repeat occurrences. Internal structures get damaged by such malfunctions.

Yes to the second question as well, there are definitely things you can do about it.

She may have prolapsed due to lack of good oils in the diet --- common as dirt, that is --- in which case cold pressed olive oil, even just a teaspoon a week per chook, will help. Initially I'd let them have as much as they want, no harm will be done though they might get runny poops for a bit.

I read, back in the days of first getting my chooks, that olive oil prevents egg binding by keeping the mucosal membranes etc lubricated and flexible, so I always made sure they had some, and many hundreds of chooks later I've never had a single case of egg binding. This is despite having some with serious egg-bind predisposing complications like one chook that was stood on by a horse and laid soft-shell eggs for a year, struggling to poop normally as well, and an internal layer whose whole abdomen blew out so to speak. This is also covering everything from hens laying monster double-yolkers, to breeds prone to egg binding (one of those was in fact the same hen who had severe, permanent physical internal disruption due to the horse incident, she was an Isabrown who was an adult by the time I got her, and ratty like all hens raised on cheap commercial pellets, therefore a prime potential binding victim in the first place even if that incident hadn't happened... She later laid eggs with hard shells but totally rippled surfaces, but never got bound).

There's a semi-decent chance she is predisposed due to diet, genetics, or deformities, all being more or less fairly common. Insufficient calcium magnesium balance is one prime cause.

Being raised on a diet containing only cooked oils, and petroleum-based or harmful oils like mineral oils or cottonseed (pesticide levels get crazy in the latter), is also a prime cause. They need raw fats, oils, and proteins for complete health just like us. Having been likely descended from many generations of hens raised on synthetic or denatured oils and nutrients, is another huge risk factor, but this one is easily combated via a good diet.

Since she's already prolapsed, one of the very best things you can do for her (asides from the raw olive oil supplement) is to get dried raspberry leaf tea and add it to her food. I just add it to their soaked grains, no need to make them a tea, but you can make a tea if you want, which will possibly be easier if you don't soak their grains.

When you see that 'pregnancy belly' on mothers who are no longer pregnant and haven't been for a while, i.e. broodmares, you're seeing lax reproductive organs which should have constricted back to their appropriate size, but which can't due to a lacking diet. Raspberry leaf is a lifesaver for female animals (and even female humans) especially as it tones the female reproductive system. I've known some females who would not have contractions without a sip of that tea, lol.

Works on everything from ruminants to carnivores to avians and so forth... It's one of the best things for preventing prolapse in females which have already prolapsed once. Plus, like the olive oil, it will do her circulatory system wonders, speeding healing and boosting health by assisting oxygenation of all tissues, you'll see her comb/face/wattles get very red over time after you introduce that to her diet. I'd do that for all my hens if I were you. Very nutritious and will boost their health a lot not to mention greatly reduce likelihood of this happening ever again.

Best wishes.

 

[LoveOfChickens1]

Thank you for your reply. She has laid eggs every day, normally, since this episode. So far, so good. I'm going to print out everything you said so I can keep referring to it.

 

[chooks4life]

Hope it helps. Best wishes with them.