Egg bound hen

[Zookeeper1967]

Hi, I have a 6-7 month old hen that I believe is egg bound. I first found her down in the coop last Thursday night. I have done Epsom salt soaks and massage and lubricant inside her vent. She is drinking well and eating very little. I could not get any calcium in her until today when I finally force fed her some ground up oyster shell. She actually is doing well but is not passing any eggs yet. I am hoping that she will now that I have finally gotten some calcium in her but if she doesn't, I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions would be very appreciated, I don't want to lose her.

 

[slordaz]

Calcium Citrate in liquid form is easier to get down a chicken that's not wanting to eat.

have you checked for an egg via the abdomen if you didn't feel anything when you lubricated her vent?
As I don't know where your at, has she molted already or is she coming up on molting?
worm overload can produce a lot of the same symptoms as being egg bound.
How are her poops looking? is there a vet that could do a fecal float test for you in your area? Most worms you can't see in the poop but it will change as the worms are getting the hens nutrition

 

[Zookeeper1967]

I can feel two egg shaped lumps in her abdomen. I have 19 hens and one of them has been laying huge eggs. I suspect it it this one. She is barely eating so her poops are white and pretty runny which I think is more urine than poop? I am planning to pick up some liquid calcium to try.

 

[slordaz]

I can feel two egg shaped lumps in her abdomen. I have 19 hens and one of them has been laying huge eggs. I suspect it it this one. She is barely eating so her poops are white and pretty runny which I think is more urine than poop? I am planning to pick up some liquid calcium to try.

that is definitely not good, gonna tag some others that might have better ideas to try too.

@Eggcessive
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock

 

[azygous]

In addition to the calcium, which you need to start her on immediately, she could use some moist heat. Instead of a warm bath, which has been what most folks recommend, some of us feel it's too stressful and can precipitate a crisis.

Instead, I rig up a crate with a heating pad on low to medium heat with a damp bath towel laid over it. Then the hen is placed on the warm damp towel.

Lubricate the vent with coconut oil or a little Vaseline, then leave the hen to rest. Hopefully, she will pass the two eggs tonight or tomorrow. If not, continue the calcium and the moist heat until she does.

 

[azygous]

Almost forgot, hydration is very important. Get fluids into her even if you need to force them with a syring and /or tube.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi, I have a 6-7 month old hen that I believe is egg bound. I first found her down in the coop last Thursday night. I have done Epsom salt soaks and massage and lubricant inside her vent. She is drinking well and eating very little. I could not get any calcium in her until today when I finally force fed her some ground up oyster shell. She actually is doing well but is not passing any eggs yet. I am hoping that she will now that I have finally gotten some calcium in her but if she doesn't, I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions would be very appreciated, I don't want to lose her.

I can feel two egg shaped lumps in her abdomen. I have 19 hens and one of them has been laying huge eggs. I suspect it it this one. She is barely eating so her poops are white and pretty runny which I think is more urine than poop? I am planning to pick up some liquid calcium to try.

Can you post some photos of her and the poop?
She's been like this since last Thursday? Likely she is not egg bound or at least not in the sense where the egg is stuck low enough in the oviduct.
You are feeling 2 egg lumps in the abdomen - but what do you feel inside the vent?
To me, it sounds like she might be laying internally instead of it being egg binding. If that's the case, then the eggs cannot be passed. If you have vet care, an xray can show where and hopefully what the lumps are.

 

[Zookeeper1967]

I can't feel anything inside the vent, her poops are white, no yolk colored as of yet. We are pretty rural, no avian vets that I am aware of.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I can't feel anything inside the vent, her poops are white, no yolk colored as of yet. We are pretty rural, no avian vets that I am aware of.

Is she able to drink or eat?
I would try to get her hydrated first, then offer food - sometimes they won't eat their normal food but might eat a bit of egg.

So you only feel the egg shaped lumps when you examine her on the outside (abdomen, between the legs)?

 

[Zookeeper1967]

She is drinking really well and I have seen her eat a little. Yes, I feel the lumps from the outside. She is very alert and her color is good. I really don't know what to think at this point. I can't find liquid calcium so I picked up some gummies. If she won't eat them, I can force feed her. Unfortunately for her, this is a learning curve for me.