Egg Bound Hen?

[Sammi2011]

Hi there Im a first time BYC keeper, stumbled across some warren hens at point of lay and couldnt help but bring them home! We have three girls and a Leghorn Cockeral. One of my girls, Mary, the biggest and bossiest of them all has had diarrhea since I got her home, I bought some poultry gut stuff to help with any bacteria and she seemed to be clearing up. Only now Im cocnerned that she is egg bound.

She is now 28weeks or there abouts, the others have been laying for two weeks and still Mary has produced nothing, (Im sure of this because Ive spent hours watching them and have seen both the other two nest and later there have been eggs!)

Mary has been getting bigger and bigger, and is larger than the others but her feathers seemed puffed up, she seemed agitated with the others and spent a lot of time nesting on the floor of the coop. Ive noticed that her back end, around her vent seems to be constantly pulsating which from what ive read may well be a sign of being egg bound. I have duly held her over steam, given her a warm bath and left her in the bathroom with the shower running in the home that she may get it out.

She seemed to be straining and panting a little and had the most enormous poop! It was actually bigger than her head, im not sure if this is normal, but it wasnt runny it was brown with a white cap! She still hasnt laid and it still feels as though there is an egg inside of her....

Im rapidly running out of ideas, I cant afford the vets and so if we cant help we will have to put her down ourselves, such a shame, she hasnt even managed her first egg

Please, if anyone has any suggestions let me know! I dont want to leave it too long as I understand it can cause paralysis?

Thankyou Sammi

 

[OreoPlymothRock]

ok, it sounds like Mary is a broiler, a broiler is a meat chicken, so if she keeps getting bigger and bigger, then she may be a broiler. Also, the poop is normal, every chicken poops a brown poop with a white cap. And if she is a broiler, she cant lay eggs, because she is a meat chicken. Hope this helps.

 

[Sammi2011]

Hey OreoPlymouthRock

Thats definitely something I will look into, although she is a Warren hen which I understand to be a hybrid specifically designed to be battery farmed for there continuous laying, but worth some research And yeah it was simply the size of the poop that shocked me, 4x that of a normal size poop such as those littered round the yard.

Thanks for replying!

 

[DamselinFlannel]

Can you post a photo of her?

 

[Sammi2011]

This is Mary and her bottom. The bit just below her vent seems much larger than the other hens and seems to constantly pulsate slightly. When I put her in a warm bath and over steam she turned her tail downwards as though she was pushing but still nothing. She fluffs up her feathers a lot and Ive noticed she is pecking and cleaning round the vent herself :/

Also Im pretty sure shes not a broiler, they seem to be white? Thanks for the suggestion though!!

Someone I spoke to when calling farms for advice today suggested she could be broody and stocking up on food but that seems unlikely, I put an egg in with her and she pecked at it and stood away from it!

Please any help! Thankyouuuu

 

[klmclain1]

When you palpate below her vent and towards her belly can you feel an egg??

 

[Sammi2011]

She seems quite firm, my partner is sure that he can feel a round egg like shape but im not sure to be honest i thought maybe id grabbed her thigh muscle or something, although do they have those?. She definitely feels much tighter than the other hens, much firmer in that region :/

 

[Sammi2011]

Hey Damselinflannel

I uploaded her picture but really just wanted to say I looked at your blog and it sounds blissful! Ive kind of done a similar trading a fast paced, no time free legal career for a more subdued lifestyle with backyard hens, growing my own vegetables, working as a supply teacher part time, one day I hope to feel as fulfilled and relaxed as you do! Its early days for me, but your story has given me a bit more hope!

Im sure even Mary will be alright, shes still pecking the dog and telling him what for when he sniffs her bottom so she cant be too ill surely?!