Egg Bound Chicken? Not sure have been trying EVERYTHING!!!

robyn66

Chirping
6 Years
Aug 3, 2013
24
15
87
New Hampshire
We have a chicken that according to everything we have read is egg bound. She cannot stand up, she is pufffed up and her wings are kind of limp. This has been since early Sunday Morning.

She is eating and drinking, her eyes are absolutely clear and bright she is totaly alert. When I handle her she does not snap at me like she is in any pain.

Yesterday there were a couple of solid big poops in the dog crate we are keeping her in but she has watery ones too. We gave her a bath Sunday night and have kept steam and a heat lamp going in the crate that is covered with blankets trying to relax her.

I have tried feeling all up around her abdomen and I feel nothing hard at all. Last night, I put a finger in her vent, (not far because I didnt want to hurt her) but there was nothing, and she didnt seem to care that I was doing it anyway.

So I am at a loss. I would have thought she would have been dead by now if she were egg bound but she is just the same. There are no broken bones or anything we can feel. We got some calcium pills and I crushed one and put it in cheese so she would eat it and she grabbed the cheese right out of my hand like she normally would.

Should I just leave her alone? or keep up the baths and the steam?
 
Robyn66,

I'm having some of the same issues, and have treated the same way.
Just got my chicken back from the vet and was told that there was NO sign of infection (Peritonitis). NO swelling in abdomen. the doctor gave a injection of calcium and prescribed one injection once a week for 4 more weeks. Keep her dark for most of the day only allowing 5-6 hours of light. My issue right now is that she is not eating for me. Her weight is just over 5lbs.

I did inquire about a hysterectomy... A possible choice if I don't loose her to hunger :(
The doctor told me that because she is a RIR and a production hen, that this is very common :((
Looks like you might be in a better position to increase the calcium and try to push her into shorter days.
Good Luck and let us know how she does,

~Anna
 
Sorry you're gong through this... I've lost about 10 this year to a variety of repro issues. FYI, hens with stuck eggs or internal layers can and do linger for months. If she were mine I would do a cloacal exam and give 500mg human calcium orally.

-Kathy
 
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