Egg Bound hen?

[allieloveschickens]

So my EE hen Gertrude has not laid an egg in a few days, she also seems more lethargic than the other girls- standing/laying around a lot, going to bed earlier than the rest, and her butt is really poopy- no sign of egg yolk or blood though. I brought her in and gave her a warm bath, cleaned up the poop and massaged her abdomen. I can't feel an egg in there, but her abdomen does look swollen. I don't have any experience feeling for an egg so there may be one and I just am not feeling it. She doesn't seem to be uncomfortable- she is eating and drinking normally, but I am worried about her. She is in a box inside tonight, hopefully she will be feeling better soon. Any advice on what else I should do?

 

[TipsyDog]

Thankfully I haven't had this issue. I'm giving you a bump in hopes someone will have an answer for you. Good luck!

 

[allieloveschickens]

Thanks for the bump, I did a search on egg bound hens and found a lot of posts- so I am just hoping if she is egg bound it will pass tonight since she had a bath. We'll see. Thanks again

 

[Mattemma]

I was going to recommend the bath and extra calcium too. My hen has been swollen for weeks now and no eggs. I have read about limiting their light as well.

 

[allieloveschickens]

Thanks for the responses.. Gertie has not improved, no eggs, and today she seemed a little worse- she showed zero interest in treats this morning before work which is not the norm. She is still standing around a lot, and going to bed earlier than everyone else. I am getting more and more worried. Her poop looks normal, a little green. I think I may try another bath tonight, but I just don't know what could be wrong. She seems really depressed, tail down a lot, not interested in foraging. Could she have worms? Or an infection? I don't have any experience with sick chickens.

 

[Michigan Transplant]

allieloveschickens

I had an egg bound hen a few weeks ago. Brought her in and put her in the kitchen sink in some warm water and watched her for a few minutes. She was straining and acting as if she was either going to lay an egg or have a bowl movement. I felt around her vent and could feel a large egg that was stuck and couldn't get it out. As she pushed I took a pair of tweezers and broke just a tiny hole in the egg and took small pieces of the shell away from the hole. As she pushed the inside of the egg came out and she smashed the egg and pushed that one plus another smashed egg and an intact whole egg out. Poor thing was so relieved they were out. I threw all three eggs out not knowing if the one was any good or not. I could only feel the one egg that was right there at her vent so YOURS might be farther up and stuck. Keep doing the warm baths and massaging her even around the vent. IF you feel an egg around the vent or a little farther up, you might try some Vaseline to help it slide out better. I am a first timer at doing this and really didn't know what I was doing. I knew I had to help her in any way that I could even if it didn't seem right. Try what you can to make her comfortable. Keep us informed as to how she is doing. GOOD LUCK and hope she is feeling better soon.

 

[allieloveschickens]

Michigan,

thank you so much for your advice, I am going to give her another bath tonight and see if I can feel any eggs- she hasn't been trying to lay at all that I have noticed, but I am gone much of the day during the week. For instance I am still at work now! Would much rather be home helping Gertie. Thanks again, I'll keep you posted!

 

[Michigan Transplant]

allie,
Sure hope the bath did some good. Like I said, mine would strain like she had to poop and that is when I could see a little bit of white in the middle of her vent and when felt it was grainy but hard. Knew it was an egg. Couldn't believe that she had three eggs in there. Poor baby just couldn't get them out. Haven't had any problems with her since. I sure do hope that you can figure out what Gertie's problem is soon and get her over it and back out with the others. Sending good thoughts your way!

 

[allieloveschickens]

Well so far no eggs, though she could be laying somewhere that I can't find them- but it doesn't seem too likely. Yesterday she seemed a lot better, alert, active, interested in treats- but this morning I had to get her out of the coop myself, and she was back to looking run down..

 

[RockwaterFarm]

My EE had this same problem a couple weeks ago. Her egg was at the end of the vent when it couldnt fit out. I ended up breakin the egg. it did work but she hasn't layed another egg. It was her first egg btw. the swelling went down quickly.