Egg Bound or Internal Layer?

[Letty1]

Hello. I have a hen who I think may be either egg bound or internally laying. About a week ago or so, while I was holding her, I noticed she felt bigger around her stomach, abdomen area, and I didn't think much of it. Now, just yesterday, I saw that she was more fluffed up looking and sort of gasping for breath. I've already tried soaking her and feeling inside her vent for an egg, and I didn't find anything. She poops but her feces look pale, kind of light brown in color. I've been reading on egg bound hens and internal layers, and she exhibits symptoms of both. She has droopy wings and walks a bit awkwardly. Along with this, her stomach and abdomen areas feel very swollen. I can try to post a picture soon; any help would be appreciated. I don't want her to die.

 

[nuthatched]

Unfortunately, internal laying or ascites Is a chronic illness. So sorry.
What's her diet? Some issues can be aggravated by certain diets.

 

[Letty1]

Unfortunately, internal laying or ascites Is a chronic illness. So sorry.
What's her diet? Some issues can be aggravated by certain diets.

I feed her basic 16% layer feed, along with occasional treats. She is 3 years old and is a Red Sex-Link.

 

[ChickNanny13]

When was the last time she laid? Does the abdomen feel squishy?
Try giving her some Tums or Calcium Carbonate tablets, soak her in an warm Epson Salt bath, dry her & put in a dark crate, humidity would be good too.

 

[nuthatched]

I feed her basic 16% layer feed, along with occasional treats. She is 3 years old and is a Red Sex-Link.

Sex link get issues very easy, if she's not egg bound, (is she standing with her tail straight down?) Is a reproductive issue. I'm sorry

 

[Letty1]

Sex link get issues very easy, if she's not egg bound, (is she standing with her tail straight down?) Is a reproductive issue. I'm sorry

Yes, I've noticed her tail has been going down, and also, her comb has for some reason flopped to the side.

 

[Letty1]

When was the last time she laid? Does the abdomen feel squishy?
Try giving her some Tums or Calcium Carbonate tablets, soak her in an warm Epson Salt bath, dry her & put in a dark crate, humidity would be good too.

She hasn't laid in a few days, possibly a week or two. I'm going to feel her abdomen soon, and give her another Epsom soak. I have some VetRx medicine that is meant to help with respiratory issues, and I'm going to try giving her some.

 

[CharlieBaby]

My hen is experiencing the same thing! I took her to the vet today and they gave her an ultrasound. They can’t say for sure, but they think they saw egg yolks (separate round masses) in her abdomen. They were unable to draw fluid, but they did try (ascites). They recommended I visit an avian vet, but said some chicken keepers have turned to deslorelin or surgery. (Best articles I’ve found so far are here, here, here and here; apparently avian vets will
sometimes use deslorelin off label in chickens.) Please update when you decide on a course of action. Best of luck to your feathered friend!

 

[Letty1]

My hen is experiencing the same thing! I took her to the vet today and they gave her an ultrasound. They can’t say for sure, but they think they saw egg yolks (separate round masses) in her abdomen. They were unable to draw fluid, but they did try (ascites). They recommended I visit an avian vet, but said some chicken keepers have turned to deslorelin or surgery. (Best articles I’ve found so far are here, here, here and here; apparently avian vets will
sometimes use deslorelin off label in chickens.) Please update when you decide on a course of action. Best of luck to your feathered friend!

Thanks for linking the articles, they have a lot of information. I would take her to a vet, but my parents don't want to spend the money for something like that, unfortunately. I gave the hen (Kiwi) another Epsom bath yesterday, and I was disturbed to find that because she is so swollen, she didn't even need to use her feet to stand in the bucket, she simply floated in there! Poor girl. I also had her drink some water mixed with VetRx, I'm not sure if it has helped her yet or not. Her belly felt squishy, not hard like there could be an egg stuck. I'm going to try to give her some oregano and maybe some olive oil today. So far, the situation isn't looking great for her, but I don't plan on putting her down. I'm just going to continue to try to help her live. Also, I hope that your hen gets better, I'll keep her in my prayers.

 

[CharlieBaby]

Has she made any progress, by chance? If you’re looking for supplements, NutriDrench is good for very weak birds or birds needing a boost. You can add electrolyte and vitamin powders like Save-a-Chick for a few days in a row if dehydration is a worry. Another idea is to offer remedies and supplemental food as free choices — for example, standard feed in one container, a head of lettuce hanging from above, grit scattered, plain yogurt, cooked egg yolks in another container, vitamin water as well as plain water.

I’ve been trying to read all I can and look for solutions for my hen. Oviduct malfunction and/or egg peritonitis seem possible. So far, the implant seems to be the best bet for that. I’m going to call for pricing on Monday and will update here in case you or anyone reading this is interested. At home options might include limiting her exposure to light and/or feeding a low-calcium diet to reduce chance of producing more egg shells. It makes me sad that most reproductive issues are incurable. Luckily my girl is still moving around and eating. I love her and want her to be happy and comfortable for as long as possible!

Could Kiwi have ascites (“water belly”)? If so, I found this video and this other video to be helpful. We tried draining our hen but got only a little bit of blood and stopped. The vet also tried draining her without success. We were as clean as possible to avoid introducing infection. It wasn’t the right solution for us, but from the comments on the videos it looks like it’s been helpful for a lot of chickens.

I’ll be keeping your sweet Kiwi in my thoughts. You are giving her so much love and doing your best with the resources you have. No matter what happens, she is a blessed little bird who has brought joy during her time here.