Egg bound chicken?

[LittleBird123]

Today one of my chickens has been walking with her tail to the ground like a penguin. She is still moving around but she is panting heavily. Is she egg bound? I am not sure when she last laid an egg. How should I treat her if she is egg bound? Should I soak her in Epsom salt water? Any advice will be helpful. Her abdomen feels mostly normal and is not swollen or full of fluid. She will also still eat and drink.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

@Eggcessive @azygous

 

[restinpeacenyla]

even if she isnt egg bound, do a bath! the sooner THER BETTER! a hen cannot live for long without pooping!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

even if she isnt egg bound, do a bath! the sooner THER BETTER! a hen cannot live for long without pooping!

Or with an egg stuck in her!

 

[azygous]

Look at her vent. See if it's pulsating and if there is clear fluid dripping from it. Feel just below the vent for an egg-shaped bulge, but it doesn't mean there's no egg stuck up farther if you can't detect anything.

Give her a calcium tablet right now. Calcium citrate, the whole tablet. If you only have Tums, give that. This will strengthen her contractions and make it easier to push the egg out.

Place her in a crate on a thick bath towel (old one) with water to drink. It's important she stay hydrated. Place the crate in a quiet place and check on her frequently.

If the towel becomes soaked with fluids, that is a further clue she's obstructed. Be patient. This could take some time. Don't let her run out of water.

Has she had any thin shell or shell-less eggs recently?

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Can you insert a clean or gloved finger 1-2 inch inside her vent to feel for a stuck egg? Sometimes the tail down, upright sitting position can be caused by salpingitis or a reproductive infection. Isolate her in a dog crate with food and water to make sure if she lays or not. Is she panting or hot?

 

[LittleBird123]

I just gave her an epsom salt bath. She had watery diarrhea afterward. She seems a bit worse now and is moving around less. I have not seen any soft shell eggs in the coop. I did not feel any egg in her.

 

[LittleBird123]

Look at her vent. See if it's pulsating and if there is clear fluid dripping from it. Feel just below the vent for an egg-shaped bulge, but it doesn't mean there's no egg stuck up farther if you can't detect anything.

Give her a calcium tablet right now. Calcium citrate, the whole tablet. If you only have Tums, give that. This will strengthen her contractions and make it easier to push the egg out.

Place her in a crate on a thick bath towel (old one) with water to drink. It's important she stay hydrated. Place the crate in a quiet place and check on her frequently.

If the towel becomes soaked with fluids, that is a further clue she's obstructed. Be patient. This could take some time. Don't let her run out of water.

Has she had any thin shell or shell-less eggs recently?

No fluid from the vent. I didn't really feel an egg. I don't have any calcium tablets or tums. I have some other antiacid tablets with calcium carbonate. She may get too stressed if I keep her away from the other chickens. I have not seen any thin-shelled eggs in the coop.

 

[azygous]

Give her one of the calcium carbonate tablets. And give one each day until this resolves. It's not going to hurt her if this is an incorrect diagnosis.

It won't hurt her or stress her to sleep inside in a crate for tonight. If this is a stuck egg, or worse, if it is a collapsed egg, it could involve vent prolapse. Believe me when I say you do not want to find her in the morning with a pecked and chewed vent that resembles raw hamburger. It's hard enough dealing with just a prolapse. Having her indoors will make this far easier on you.

You will also be able to see if she passes the egg and what condition it's in. If she's with the other chickens, they will eat it before you get to see if she's passed an egg. It will also tell you if you need to start her on an antibiotic if the yolk comes out broken.

Being able to see the egg may mean getting her treated for infection when there's still time to save her egg laying career.

 

[ChuskaMtns]

In addition to the soaks and calcium, place her in a dark room to interrupt her laying cycle until the stuck egg passes. This will also help prevent EYP.