Egg bound or not?

[TillyPeeps]

For impacted crop, please read this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

If your feed is pellet or crumble type, you can give it to her. Please remember that there could be other health issues that will cause impacted/ sour crop. Egg bound/internal laying is one of these issues. When did you deworm her? What color is her poop?

 

[Kris10S]

For impacted crop, please read this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

If your feed is pellet or crumble type, you can give it to her. Please remember that there could be other health issues that will cause impacted/ sour crop. Egg bound/internal laying is one of these issues. When did you deworm her? What color is her poop?

Ok. Right now we have pellets.

So egg binding can lead to crop impaction?

We haven’t done any deworming, just treated them for coccidiosis in the summer with Corid.

Last poop was normal chicken droppings color, but my daughter thought it was runnier than it should be.

 

[Lillith37]

Yes reproductive issues can cause slow crop or crop stasis.

Your flock needs access to the oyster shell free choice all the time.

You can try soaking the pellets to make them easier to digest and massaging her crop gently to encourage it to empty.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Thank you! We do that often, but maybe not enough?

They need to eat way too many egg shells to get the amount of calcium a laying hen needs. oyster shells available all times

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Yes reproductive issues can cause slow crop or crop stasis.

Your flock needs access to the oyster shell free choice all the time.

You can try soaking the pellets to make them easier to digest and massaging her crop gently to encourage it to empty.

Massage upward i think.

 

[Kris10S]

Thanks everyone! She ended up recovering completely, thank God! We’re actually not sure what the problem was. She was inside for 3-4 days with us but started improving after a couple. She never passed an egg while inside. But after she was acting fine and we put her back out with the flock, we did find a couple soft shell eggs. Maybe was hers? Or maybe it was the crop issue the whole time?

We also changed some things in the run to allow for constant oyster shell access but still give eggshells, too.

I appreciate everyone’s help! We were so relieved to see her recover!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Thanks everyone! She ended up recovering completely, thank God! We’re actually not sure what the problem was. She was inside for 3-4 days with us but started improving after a couple. She never passed an egg while inside. But after she was acting fine and we put her back out with the flock, we did find a couple soft shell eggs. Maybe was hers? Or maybe it was the crop issue the whole time?

We also changed some things in the run to allow for constant oyster shell access but still give eggshells, too.

I appreciate everyone’s help! We were so relieved to see her recover!

Its truly amazing how tough and resilient our feathered friends are. I love a happy ending!

 

[CountryChic63]

Could be a soft shelled egg. Eggs can get stuck higher up the tract and cause discomfort without blocking off the poop channel.

600mg calcium citrate immediately and repeat daily for at least a week. Hopefully it’s just a one off for your lady.

The epsom baths will also help and keeping her somewhere quiet, warm, dark and dry.

I have a 8 y/o Buff Orrington with the exact same symptoms.
Oyster shells are available to her 24/7, as is grit & they're on Layers Pellets.
Do I still give her the 600mg Calcium Citrate? (Crushed TUMS in yogurt?)
How does that extra Ca help the egg being bound?
She's also breathing hard as she's sitting around.
Thank you all for any advise!!

 

[Lillith37]

I have a 8 y/o Buff Orrington with the exact same symptoms.
Oyster shells are available to her 24/7, as is grit & they're on Layers Pellets.
Do I still give her the 600mg Calcium Citrate? (Crushed TUMS in yogurt?)
How does that extra Ca help the egg being bound?
She's also breathing hard as she's sitting around.
Thank you all for any advise!!

Calcium helps with muscle contractions so if there is an egg stuck, it can help the hen pass it. A warm soak in an epsom bath in a dark room can also help.

Regular calcium supplementation can also help reset their reproductive system if they are having regular troubles.

You could try it for two weeks and see how she goes.