Egg Bound or Egg Peritonitis? Help!

[socalchickens76]

Hi everyone,

I have a 3 year oldWyandotte that got very sick today. She has been standing with her tail down since this morning. We thought she might be egg bound so we've soaked her in epsom salts several times today. Her abdomen is swollen and getting progressively worse. It's so swollen now that she can't even walk and her breathing is getting labored. The pressure must be pressing on her leg nerves. It's horrible to watch.

Background on her: She has had bumblefoot since last summer. We've been trying to treat it yet it doesn't go away (although the scab/infection has gotten smaller over time). The last time she laid eggs was probably in November or so. Ever since we found the bumblefoot her laying has not been consistent.

Also want to add that she's been having very watery (sometimes clear) poops. Also noticed that she was drinking more water than normal (not everyday but a few times I was baffled at how much she drank in one sitting).

I stuck my finger in her vent with a glove and could not feel anything hard like an egg. We are not sure if she's actually egg bound (since she hasn't laid in a long time) or if she has egg peritonitis.

Any thoughts?

Thank you!

 

[Tookie]

I'd get some calcium citrate +D3 and give her one tablet once a day, incase she is eggbound.
Could you get a picture of her?
It is sounding to me that she probably has a reproduction issue going on...sadly.

 

[-Shade-]

This sounds a lot like what happened to a neighbor's chicken once. I am almost positive she had egg block, but since my neighbor didn't know what it was, she went untreated and eventually passed. Have you felt her abdomen for anything that feels hard and oblong? The egg may be stuck farther up her tract and that could be why you couldn't feel it near her vent.

 

[socalchickens76]

This sounds a lot like what happened to a neighbor's chicken once. I am almost positive she had egg block, but since my neighbor didn't know what it was, she went untreated and eventually passed. Have you felt her abdomen for anything that feels hard and oblong? The egg may be stuck farther up her tract and that could be why you couldn't feel it near her vent.

I have felt her abdomen and I don't feel anything super hard.

 

[socalchickens76]

I'd get some calcium citrate +D3 and give her one tablet once a day, incase she is eggbound.
Could you get a picture of her?
It is sounding to me that she probably has a reproduction issue going on...sadly.

I did give her a few calcium pills this morning in some scrambled eggs. Here she is standing in her penguin pose. I feel so horrible seeing her suffer through this.

 

[Tookie]

I did give her a few calcium pills this morning in some scrambled eggs. Here she is standing in her penguin pose. I feel so horrible seeing her suffer through this.

Does she seem like she's straining at all to lay an egg? Or is she just standing in that position?

 

[socalchickens76]

Does she seem like she's straining at all to lay an egg? Or is she just standing in that position?

Yes, she seems to be straining... her vent is pulsating. When I stuck my finger in there, she strained harder and a little poop came out with some yellowish liquid.

 

[Tookie]

Yes, she seems to be straining... her vent is pulsating. When I stuck my finger in there, she strained harder and a little poop came out with some yellowish liquid.

Was the yellowish liquid egg yolk?

I'd keep up the epsom salt baths and calcium.
What exactly is the calcium you're giving her?

 

[socalchickens76]

Was the yellowish liquid egg yolk?

I'd keep up the epsom salt baths and calcium.
What exactly is the calcium you're giving her?

I don't think it was egg yolk. It was a much lighter buttery yellow color. I picked up some calcium + vitamin D3 pills and crushed them (ingredients specify calcium carbonate).

 

[Tookie]

I don't think it was egg yolk. It was a much lighter buttery yellow color. I picked up some calcium + vitamin D3 pills and crushed them (ingredients specify calcium carbonate).

Good, give her that once a day and hopefully she improves!