Egg bound hen?

[Solanacae]

This lady hasn’t laid an egg since March 26. Before that it was one every 2-4 days. The eggs are really huge (2.5-3 oz) and I wonder if she’s egg bound. She has been acting normal up until today, when she started sitting hunched up, tail down and feathers all fluffed out. She was moving but slower than usual. What can I do for her? Warm baths? Electrolytes and calcium? Anything else?

 

[Eggcessive]

Her back end between her legs appears full and enlarged in the picture. Is it firm or spongy? That can be a sign of ascites (water belly) or a reproductive disorder, including infection or cancer. To rule out a stuck egg, I would insert a clean finger into the vent 1-2 inches to feel for an obstruction. Shell-less eggs or a very large egg can cause egg binding. If you feel an egg or you think she is egg bound, you may offer a human calcium tablet or Tums orally. Then place her in a warm and humid room, such as a bathroom with steam.

 

[Solanacae]

Her back end between her legs appears full and enlarged in the picture. Is it firm or spongy? That can be a sign of ascites (water belly) or a reproductive disorder, including infection or cancer. To rule out a stuck egg, I would insert a clean finger into the vent 1-2 inches to feel for an obstruction. Shell-less eggs or a very large egg can cause egg binding. If you feel an egg or you think she is egg bound, you may offer a human calcium tablet or Tums orally. Then place her in a warm and humid room, such as a bathroom with steam.

I checked her belly yesterday and it was spongy. Today it is firmer. I’ll check internally to see if I can feel an egg. Thank you!

 

[Solanacae]

I checked her belly yesterday and it was spongy. Today it is firmer. I’ll check internally to see if I can feel an egg. Thank you!

I checked her but wasn’t sure how far to go. I had my finger in about halfway but didn’t feel anything.

 

[Kiki]

What exactly do you feed your flock?

 

[Solanacae]

Layer feed, free choice oyster shell and crushed egg shells. They get a handful of black oil sunflower seeds once a day and I ferment a mix of whole grains (wheat, barley, sorghum, peas) they get in the morning. They have access to the compost piles where I put fruit and vegetable scraps. Also free access to grit.
She passed away yesterday, so it’s a bit of a moot question at this point. I was looking back at pictures I took when I first got her (we rehomed her about a month ago) and she had a saggy belly then - though perhaps a bit smaller. So I don’t think she was egg bound, I think it as water belly caused by a preexisting condition she had before we got her. The other hen we rehomed at the same time hasn’t had any problems.