Egg bound & egg broke

[huntersmoon]

Hi,

I have a hen who two years ago developed water belly and I syringed it off. This morning she was doing the penguin stance and I thought she had water belly again, as her abdomen is swollen and hard. I inserted the needle but was only able to draw off one syringe of water, and nothing drained out when I unscrewed the syringe. So I checked for her being egg bound, gave her a warm soak and then checked inside her vent (with lubed gloved finger). As soon as my fingertip entered the vent she expelled a rush of rancid fluid that I think was the inner egg. I have read through the archives and see to put her in a crate and apply some mineral oil internally, and a calcium citrate tablet. I don't have abx and can call to check. Is there something else I should do and does this advice I saw in the archives apply when the shell has broken?

She seems very skinny and has a pronounced breastbone, but she is alert with a red comb. She walked around a bit more normally after the treatment. However her abdomen is quite hard still.

Thanks
Shannon

 

[Tookie]

Are you sure she has ascites? I would think she would stop laying eggs from that.
How old and what breed is she? How many times have you drained her? How often does she lay?

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

A hard abdomen doesn't sound like ascites. I had a girl with it who was so swollen she could barely move but her abdomen was still soft/squishy. Given the previous ascites and how skinny she is it sounds like she's had some serious issue for awhile.

 

[huntersmoon]

I initially thought that she had water belly but then when I couldn't draw any off, I thought she was egg bound. When I put a fingertip into her vent, about 1/4 cup of either rancid egg liquid, or fecal matter gushed out. Her abdomen is still very hard. I haven't seen any malformed eggs in the nest boxes.

Here's a photo of her.

 

[huntersmoon]

I did not feel an egg when I inserted my finger yesterday. She seems alert and interested in her surroundings, though is not moving around much.

 

[Tookie]

Keep giving the calcium citrate. How many mgs of calcium is in it?
You may also want to give her some espsom salt baths, only if she is not too lethargic.
Is she eating and drinking on her own?

 

[huntersmoon]

Hi,

Until Friday she was eating and drinking still, and I gave her cal citrate and some mineral oil into her vent and expelled a bit more fecal or egg material. Her abdomen felt quite hard still and perhaps there's a tumor or something else entirely. She did pass away Thursday night. Thanks for all of the replies and help.

Shannon

 

[Donalato]

Hi,

Until Friday she was eating and drinking still, and I gave her cal citrate and some mineral oil into her vent and expelled a bit more fecal or egg material. Her abdomen felt quite hard still and perhaps there's a tumor or something else entirely. She did pass away Thursday night. Thanks for all of the replies and help.

Shannon

I'm new here and just read this thread. So sorry to hear what you and this poor hen went through. Donna

 

[Tookie]

Hi,

Until Friday she was eating and drinking still, and I gave her cal citrate and some mineral oil into her vent and expelled a bit more fecal or egg material. Her abdomen felt quite hard still and perhaps there's a tumor or something else entirely. She did pass away Thursday night. Thanks for all of the replies and help.

Shannon

So sorry to hear, you did everything you could.

 

[Tookie]

I'm new here and just read this thread. So sorry to hear what you and this poor hen went through. Donna

Welcome to BYC @Donalato !