egg bound or sick??

[Harestad Farm]

Hey about 5 weeks ago when I went to let my chickens out I noticed that my Rhode Island Red (about 1 year old) was laying in a weird position under the roost and not moving on her own I set heer aside and went to work, thinking she'd be past by the time I got home from work. Well when I got home my wife said she was still alive and infact was moving on her own and eating and drinking (though she wasnt moving like she was injured) My wife also showed me a really weird egg. thin and cracked... Thinking now that she had fallen off the roost(which is about 4 ft high),whether accidentally or bullied by ones higher on the pecking order . we kept an eye on her ... After just a couple days she she was back to 100% (pecking , scratching, chasing treats, etc...) except we began to suspect that she was not laying. since we were now consistently one egg short and never caught her in the nest.... Given she was in great spirits we figured she was traumatized from the fall or whatever got her back then... Well now its been 5 weeks or more and still no eggs from her. and today i noticed she was not keeping up with the flock while they were free ranging. fact at one point she was just sitting standing not moving with her eys closed and i was able to walk up to her and pet her with out her sensing me coming (which is a bit odd) though once I pet her it startled her and she ran off. then when it was time to lock them up, she was below the roosts . something is definitely up ... any thoughts?

 

[micstrachan]

Yes, this is a problem. She is not feeling well. Please examine her in the morning. Feel her crop and make sure it has emptied. Feel her breast muscle and keel bone. Is it protruding sharply? Feel her fluffy abdomen, below her vent and between her legs. Is it bloated with fluid? Look at her vent. Is it clean and clear? Moist like a laying hen or dry? Sit back and observe her in the flock. Is she getting picked on at all?
I suspect a laying issue of some kind. Giving her a crushed calcium citrate pill over scrambled eggs won’t hurt and might perk her up. Depending on what the issue is, antibiotics might help. Is an avian Vet an option?

 

[Harestad Farm]

Yes, this is a problem. She is not feeling well. Please examine her in the morning. Feel her crop and make sure it has emptied. Feel her breast muscle and keel bone. Is it protruding sharply? Feel her fluffy abdomen, below her vent and between her legs. Is it bloated with fluid? Look at her vent. Is it clean and clear? Moist like a laying hen or dry? Sit back and observe her in the flock. Is she getting picked on at all?
I suspect a laying issue of some kind. Giving her a crushed calcium citrate pill over scrambled eggs won’t hurt and might perk her up. Depending on what the issue is, antibiotics might help. Is an avian Vet an option?

thank you I will go go all this right now. Unfortunately a vet is not possible/ realistic for many reasons (biggest being they cant get you in for about a week

 

[micstrachan]

Hi there. What did you find when you examined your RIR? There is a wealth of knowledge here on BYC and you can get some advice and guidance if you wish. I think most people on these forums don't have the luxury of an avian vet and care for their own birds. This is the first place I come when I have the slightest issue with one of my chickens.

 

[Harestad Farm]

@micstrachan

Hi there. What did you find when you examined your RIR? There is a wealth of knowledge here on BYC and you can get some advice and guidance if you wish. I think most people on these forums don't have the luxury of an avian vet and care for their own birds. This is the first place I come when I have the slightest issue with one of my chickens.

Hey update... she was running around this morning pecking and scratching.. and hard to catch honestly. but finally did. she crop seems small, infact she seems thin. I compared to another hen her size and definitely seemed thin. but once I put her down and came back to fill their water she had ran the baby (8 week old)chicks off and was eating their crumble... so she is able to eat... i know crumble is not the diet she needs but should i allow her to eat it just so she eats something???? i did give her calcium as well this morning i crushed 2 tums and maybe got a total of 1/2 in to her is that enough? can a hen be egg bound for 5 weeks or more and still be alive?

 

[micstrachan]

That’s great she’s active and eating. If she’s thin, the starter crumble is good for her, in my opinion. No, if she were egg bound five weeks ago, she would have died long ago.
We’re you able to feel if her fluffy butt was bloated?

 

[Meg7730]

Yes, this is a problem. She is not feeling well. Please examine her in the morning. Feel her crop and make sure it has emptied. Feel her breast muscle and keel bone. Is it protruding sharply? Feel her fluffy abdomen, below her vent and between her legs. Is it bloated with fluid? Look at her vent. Is it clean and clear? Moist like a laying hen or dry? Sit back and observe her in the flock. Is she getting picked on at all?
I suspect a laying issue of some kind. Giving her a crushed calcium citrate pill over scrambled eggs won’t hurt and might perk her up. Depending on what the issue is, antibiotics might help. Is an avian Vet an option?

That’s great she’s active and eating. If she’s thin, the starter crumble is good for her, in my opinion. No, if she were egg bound five weeks ago, she would have died long ago.
We’re you able to feel if her fluffy butt was bloated?

What does it mean if she feels hard and bloated under her vent? We just had fly strike yesterday and our girls pretty firm down there...feathers are gone... please help