Egg Bound Hen?

[skullgrrrl]

I got a year old hen in December. The previous owner said she had her for about 9 months and she was always an intermittent layer, at best. I've never seen her lay an egg. Yesterday, she was in the nest box and when I went to check later, there was no egg. Today she has the classic pose of being egg bound, standing upright like a penguin. She is not straining nor does she have a prolapse. I gave her a warm bath, lubed up her vent, checked inside and I couldn't feel an egg. I read online that if you can't feel an egg 2" up then she is not egg bound. I have her in a dog crate, with Tums in her water (for calcium) and food. She seems to be eating and drinking a bit but is still standing upright, looking stiff.

Any suggestions? I am work tomorrow and hope that she'll be ok.

 

[WillGriffin03]

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your hen, here's some information I found about Egg bound hens, hope this helps!:

Diagnosis: The hen stands like a penguin, straining to lay but without success.

Prevention: Causes are unclear, but older hens laying large eggs are frequent victims.

Treatment: Isolate and give 4 drops of Rescue Remedy every 15 minutes. (apply to comb). Consider inserting a little warmed vegetable oil into the vent, but be mindful if the egg breaks, peritonitis (an acute infection of the reproductive tract, requiring veterinary care) may set in. Sitting the hen in a ventilated box on a warm water-bottle covered with a moistened towel may help by relaxing muscles.

Source is a book called: Happy hens.

 

[Eggcessive]

She might have an egg farther up, but since she has a history of not laying well, it could be that she is laying internally. It can be being common, and they may have symptoms like walking like a penguin, preferring to sit, have a poor appetite, sometimes will pass yolk-like material in their dropping, and look like they don't feel well. Make sure that she gets some extra calcium (Tums or calcium tablet, ground eggs shells) and has crushed oyster shell for free feeding. Is she on a layer feed?

 

[skullgrrrl]

She's definitely standing like a penguin but not straining. No egg that I can feel inside. I did put KY lube inside her vent (I think oil might go rancid). Something is wrong but I'm not sure what.

She is on layer feed, with access to oyster shell and crushed egg shells daily. They also get yoghurt weekly.

She's in a dog crate (so I can monitor if she's actually laying) with crushed Tums in her water.

In hindsight, I noticed that a couple of times this weekend she went to bed in a nest box and not on the roost bar so she's not been feeling well for a few days.

 

[Eggcessive]

This is just so common with similar posts every day here. I have had a few in my flock. Some have died eventually. Some try antibiotics for awhile to see if it helps, but it doesn't cure them.