Egg binding or what???

[Areeba]

Hi,
I have a cochin bantam hen 7 months old.she was laying eggs but for the past 3 days she is not laying.even she is not eating well just drinking lots of water.she is having the following symptoms
-Swollen abdomen
-taking breath with open mouth( some sort of sound comes when she breaths)
-sits a lot
-watery droppings( dark green + whitish)
today i have given her a lukewarm water bath for half hour at that time she was forcing something out of her but failed so is it egg bound?? now she is having some sneezing and running nose.now what should i do??
Thanks,
Areeba
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[chickensbythesea]

Sounds a lot like egg binding, try another warm bath, and applying vaseline to her vent?
Can you feel the egg "on deck" waiting?

 

[Areeba]

sorry for late reply....I am so sad today coz my little black beauty has died today. she had egg binding.

 

[chickensbythesea]

I just lost a girl to that earlier in the week. My sympathies.

 

[jessicatownsend]

I am new to having chickens and have learned a lot over the last 7 months since I got my chickens. I have a variety of large breeds and absolutely LOVE them!!!!! They are my "girls"!!!! Well..... on this learning adventure, I feel as though I have failed my girls since I lost two in the last week. I went out and found one laying in the roost area dead, I had no idea what went on, I checked her body but didn't really know what I was looking for and didn't really see anything out of the ordinary (wounds, bloody beak, etc) so I was thinking she got sick or choked...... well the next day my flock of 46 that usually lays 26-30 eggs per day only layed 5 eggs total. I started getting scared at this point. The next day I found another girl dead, but she was laying next to an egg that was covered in blood. I started googling everything I could think of and found "egg binding". This must certainly be what it is since I noticed she had a huge open place on her bottom (I think its called a vent?) The next day I sent my husband out to check the coop since I simply could not bear the thought of finding another one of "my girls" dead. He said they were all fine. The day went on and I collected 6 eggs that day but 4 out of the 6 had blood on them..... not a lot of blood but enough that I started checking chicken bottoms..... I'm worried about my girls. They have constant access to food that is kept in feeders (is that wrong?) I let them free range when I am there (so I can protect them and keep an eye on them) which is about 10 hours per week (is that enough). They are in a coop that is approximately 90' by 110'. It's a huge area and I have shade cloth over the top to deter hawks and help cut the temps in the summer (I live in south alabama and it is HOT here most of the time and we have very high humidity). I have them on layer mash, I give them greens when I have them and bread probably every third day. I have wormed them regularly according to the directions, they have a roost area that I put tarps up to keep drafts down and left about 8" at the bottom so they can go in and out and I still have a little cross draft to avoid mold and respiratory issues. I have grit in a small container that I leave out for them to eat. I leave ground oyster shells in a similar container so they can eat it as well. ( I read that they need access to these so of course I "hooked my girls up".) I give them "Happy Hen Treats" which is dried mill worms about twice a week. They look to me like they are full grown but not obese... I even pick them up and feel them to make sure they aren't severely over weight and I don't know because their feathers cover it up. I'm doing everything I know to do and have read books and articles to learn what I have learned so far. Please feel free to offer any advice you want, I'd love to hear from experienced chicken keepers!!!

 

[5th lake chick]

I totally relate to you. I am so sorry to hear you lost some hens. I got my first chicks in May. And have read all I can, used this forum a lot. And really appreciate all the advice and help. 2 of my new chicks got botulism in some really hot weather because I kept the food and water together in their coop. Don't do that any more! Some of the food got moldy. I pulled my hen thru but lost a rooster. I felt terrible. Then I started feeding them some corn on the cob that was over ripe and they ended up getting coccidia even though they were older than normal for this. AgainI think it was because they were eating alot of dirt out of their run with the corn. Now my one hen has an iimpacted crop after starting to feed scratch for the first time, since our ground is getting frozen I am working to pull her through this too,she is my sweetie.. I have done everything the same as you,free range about 10 hours a week when I can watch them, oyster shell, treats. They come right up to the door each evening looking for their bread treat.I had no idea so many things can go wrong even though I make every effort to give them a good chiken life. They give so much enjoyment. I can't offer you any advice, only kindred support. I hope you can figure out wants wrong
.

 

[jessicatownsend]

Thank you so much for the support!!!! That means sooooo much as I feel as though I am fighting an uphill battle.... I felt as though I was prepared when I got my chicks (I have never been one to dive into something without gathering as much information as possible and feel I more often than not make an informed decision) I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your hens and rooster. Thank you again for the support, it is truly appreciated. You don't realize it but you have already helped!!! I didn't know not to put food and water together and never would have thought to check corn for over ripeness,,,,,, but I do now!!!!!!!!