Egg Bound or internal layer ~Picts~

[alaskapalo]

I have a 1yo Buff hen that I just added to my flock yesterday. She was eating and drinking normally yesterday and today. After her bath she ate and drank and pooped normal.
But last night I noticed that her abdomen was swollen and red. So tonight I gave her a bath and tried to feel for an egg in her vent but since I was unsure what I was doing I didn't go in very far. She loved her bath! I have her in a dog cage in the house now.

and I did notice that she had lice

I just got rid of them!!! Can I still dust her??? Can I get lice from her???

Happy hen!

Please tell me what you think. What should I do?

Thank you

 

[eggfire]

I'm new here, but you've come to the right place. I'm sure somebody will be able to help you with your girl. You were very smart to include pictures, too. Good luck.

 

[alaskapalo]

Thank you Eggfire I hope I can figure this out

 

[Thegrayeyedgirl]

Sorry I'm no help, but I just have to say that she is a strikingly beautiful hen!

I hope that she will be ok...

 

[eggfire]

Your pictures are so descriptive that I can't help thinking about your situation. There is some consensus on BYC that I am dealing with an internal layer right now that appears nothing like your hen. I know very little so far, but I have done SOOOOO much research because of my sickie. I was looking in one of my books, and there are some other things relating to egg binding that you can try to help her pass an egg if that is what you are dealing with. (Probably stuff you already know, but just in case...) Sure looks like what I would expect from being egg bound. You can squirt warm (not hot) saline solution wound wash or warm soapy water into the vent. Also, warming up wet towels in the microwave (again, not too hot) and keeping constant moist heat on the vent area muscles. If those things don't work, then things get more hands on. You'll probably want to get more input from an experienced "chicken keeper," but certainly these ideas couldn't hurt. Good luck!

 

[eggfire]

And by the way.....she is so stinking cute! Love love love the bath picture!

 

[alaskapalo]

She fell a sleep in the tub and actually floated for a while but I held her up because I didn't want her to fall over. I will try what u suggested in the morning. I hope your girl gets better.

 

[eggfire]

How's your girl doing?

 

[eggfire]

And by the way, I found this link on another forum regarding your question about you getting people getting chicken lice.

http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

 

[Miss Lydia]

this comes from Raising Chickens for Dummies, Don't stick things like syringes full of oil up her vent, you're likely to hurt her and cause infection and breaking the egg isn't good either it's likely to cause infection and death moist heat is the best for egg binding. Put the hen in a cage with wire floor, place a large, flat pan of steaming water beneath the cage. keep the water warm but not hot enough that the steam burns her. give her over head heat from a heat lamp and enclose the whole crate with a blanket to keep the heat in. make sure it doesn't get over 102* in there. use a thermometer to keep track of temp. make sure she has water at all times. she should pass the egg with in a few hours, if not then try a few more hrs of treatment, she will die if she doesn't pass the egg within 48hrs. there is a shot a vet can give to help her pass the egg it's calcium gluconate. this all came from my book and I hope it helps. all the best.