Egg-bound hen not responding to Epsom soaks, seeing yolk dripping from vent—advice on further steps?

[Sparrow-Song]

I feel like I only get on this site with emergencies these days, but unfortunately it seems when it comes to chickens it doesn’t rain but pour!

My hen (Olive-egger, 3 years old and as of a week ago the last survivor of her batch, background mycoplasma and survived my first-timer bumblefoot surgery (twice)) is egg bound; my mother noticed her sleeping on the ground two nights ago, and the next morning I picked her up, thinking the others were picking on her, and found her comb pale, vent covered in droppings and her abdomen very swollen and hard as a rock.

I cleaned her up and have been giving her Epsom salt baths and following up with KY jelly in her vent (keeping chickens is such an experience oof), and she is quarantined in a bathroom under a heat lamp with food for chicks (which she seems more willing to eat) and water with NutriDench. Her comb has regained some color and she is still pooping (fairly liquid with large undigested chunks, I imagine her poor digestive system is struggling, but seems okay in color? Yellowish with lots of white), but her abdomen is no less swollen and she’s been trying to stand and penguin pose. I just realized she might have trouble on the slick floor and put in some old egg matting for her to cling to, so hopefully she’ll be able to stand, but she doesn’t seem willing right now to attempt it.

I have tried to massage her abdomen a little but she is so pliant and unresponsive that I’m afraid it could be too much for her. She seems to be mostly sleeping her days away beneath the towel right now. I haven’t tried giving her calcium yet, should that be my next step? Or is that in the Nutri-Dench sufficient?

Is it vet time for sure? ? There is a vet in town but we have been spending a lot on chicken vet appointments lately and I don’t even know when I could get in.

 

[townchicks]

She may have a broken egg inside her. She needs calcium right away, to help her expell the rest of it. She could also be internally laying, or have EYP. Try the calcium first, if that doesn't help, she may need the vet.

 

[Sparrow-Song]

She may have a broken egg inside her. She needs calcium right away, to help her expell the rest of it. She could also be internally laying, or have EYP. Try the calcium first, if that doesn't help, she may need the vet.

Thank you so much! I did end up going to the vet (there goes my paycheck alas) but it seems it was poop with the consistency and color of yolk (yuck) but they recommended the exact same thing of lots more calcium plus some pain meds! However I just realized upon inspection that her crop is really swollen and her poop is still the food she was eating 2 days ago!! Will calcium even be digested?

 

[townchicks]

Thank you so much! I did end up going to the vet (there goes my paycheck alas) but it seems it was poop with the consistency and color of yolk (yuck) but they recommended the exact same thing of lots more calcium plus some pain meds! However I just realized upon inspection that her crop is really swollen and her poop is still the food she was eating 2 days ago!! Will calcium even be digested?

I'm not sure, but I think the calcium will dissolve in the crop, so it should be absorbed. Her crop may be sluggish due to the egg, or perhaps something else, causing a blockage. Try withholding food, and see if it goes down overnight.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

background mycoplasma

it seems it was poop with the consistency and color of yolk (yuck)

The material that was removed, did you get a look at it or take photos?

Was it poop or could it have been Lash Egg (Salpingitis)?

Either way, I'd give extra Calcium and see that she's drinking.

Hopefully her crop will begin to empty if she was able to expel that material, but it's also possible more material if still in there and will eventually work its way out.

 

[Sparrow-Song]

The material that was removed, did you get a look at it or take photos?

Was it poop or could it have been Lash Egg (Salpingitis)?

Either way, I'd give extra Calcium and see that she's drinking.

Hopefully her crop will begin to empty if she was able to expel that material, but it's also possible more material if still in there and will eventually work its way out.

Oh my gosh, I had never heard of that issue before and it is terrifying! I have definitely been seeing some bloody shells in the rest of the flock and some stretch marks on eggs of one specific hen (although she’s laying HUGE eggs so idk if that’s the cause) The vet said they could feel the egg inside Oliver, although if it was a lash egg idk if it would feel the same? She is still struggling to pass it with the Epsom salt baths and KY jelly, and idk if this could be the cause. If it is the case, what should I do?

 

[Sparrow-Song]

I'm not sure, but I think the calcium will dissolve in the crop, so it should be absorbed. Her crop may be sluggish due to the egg, or perhaps something else, causing a blockage. Try withholding food, and see if it goes down overnight.

I checked and it seems smaller since I did not feed her but I can still feel grain in there from a day ago that she hasn’t digested and she’s still pooping undigested bits from 3 days ago. I gave her more Nutri-Dench for calcium but should I give her some sugar water for energy as well? I don’t want her to end up with sour crop. Thank you!

 

[Debbie292d]

I checked and it seems smaller since I did not feed her but I can still feel grain in there from a day ago that she hasn’t digested and she’s still pooping undigested bits from 3 days ago. I gave her more Nutri-Dench for calcium but should I give her some sugar water for energy as well? I don’t want her to end up with sour crop. Thank you!

There is a low amt of calcium in Nutri-Drench. I would give her a Calcium +D pill (400 IU or so) if you have it, whole. Or half of a Tums broke up works too in a pinch.

Some probiotics might get her digestion moving a little or at least help it if she's having issues. There's one called Hydro-Hen, and probably others, that's electrolytes plus probiotics. I'd go with something like that rather than more sugar water.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh my gosh, I had never heard of that issue before and it is terrifying! I have definitely been seeing some bloody shells in the rest of the flock and some stretch marks on eggs of one specific hen (although she’s laying HUGE eggs so idk if that’s the cause) The vet said they could feel the egg inside Oliver, although if it was a lash egg idk if it would feel the same? She is still struggling to pass it with the Epsom salt baths and KY jelly, and idk if this could be the cause. If it is the case, what should I do?

I gave her more Nutri-Dench for calcium but should I give her some sugar water for energy as well?

It's fine to give the Nutri-Drench for a boost of vitamins, but it's extremely low in Calcium.

It is important to get Extra Calcium into her.

I'd go to Walmart, CVS, Dollar General, etc. and pick up a bottle of Calcium Citrate+D3 and give her 1 tablet daily for a week. You want to get at least 300mg of Calcium Citrate into her daily. If for some reason you cannot find or get Calcium Citrate, then you can use TUMS. Same thing, give 1 tablet daily for a week.

Lash Egg inside the Vent may feel like an egg or soft shelled egg, hard to know, you would be able to feel it though. I wouldn't feel inside the vent anymore, it's usually not that helpful.
If she likes the epsom salts soaks, then continue to do that.

Does the crop feel hard, doughy, squishy, fluid filled or?

Is she drinking on her own? Hydration is important. If she wants to eat, offer wet mushy feed.