Egg bound or something else?

[glwlady]

Hello! I’ve got a 18 month old GLW, in a flock of 6 that started acting lethargic the other day. Took her in and have been giving her epsom soaks a few times a days since Tuesday (today is Thursday, so 2 days), she will drink water, eat crushed boiled egg shells and yogurt but otherwise will just sit in one place when left alone....no egg yet...white and brown diherrea when she does go...vent is constantly contracting, I can’t feel an egg...help?

 

[Squishychicken]

did you actually go in and look for an egg?
cause you won't feel it on the outside...

put her on chick feed and some electrolytes in her water.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Has she molted this fall, or have you seen any feather loss? Has she recently laid an egg? To check her for a stuck egg, put on a disposable glove, and insert a finger into the vent 1-2 inches. If it feels soft, there is probably no egg. I would stop the soaks, since that can stress and weaken her more. She sounds more sick, but check for egg binding. Try getting her to drink some water with electrolytes and vitamins. Offer some bits of chopped egg. Keep her warm about 75-80 F if she seems chilled. Feel of her crop to check if it is empty, full, soft, hard, or puffy. Sick chickens can suffer from many different conditions including crop problems, internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis, or intestinal infections, among other things. Let us know if you feel an egg.

 

[Squishychicken]

x2

 

[glwlady]

I have checked her twice for an egg with gloves on and some Vaseline...can’t feel anything back there...they appear like they are starting to go through their first molt, she gobbled up her scrambled egg and drank more on her own today, her abdomen looks swollen though which has me concerned about peritonitis from a broken egg, but her comb is normal color, she pooped while in her bath and it was more brown than white today...

 

[Eggcessive]

Internal laying is a common condition in hens today. They can have weight loss in the breast area, swelling in the lower abdomen, runny poops, poor appetite, preferring to lie down due to pain or walking more upright or waddling, and may pass poops with a cooked egg appearance. Some try antibiotics to help temporarily, but they will not cure it. Molting can bring out other illnesses due to the stress. Keep helping her eat and drink, and make her comfortable just in case it is something else which is temporarily making her sick.

 

[glwlady]

Thank you, that’s what I feared, how long until the decision to put her out of her misery should be made?

 

[Eggcessive]

First, it is kind of hard to diagnose, so I would watch her and try to get her over this sick spell. I have hens with internal laying who have hung around for months or a couple of years. It is best to see how they are acting, if they are eating, enjoying being outside with others, able to get around, and if not, then think about putting them down when they appear to be suffering.

 

[glwlady]

Okay thank you very much for your help, given that she won’t eat unless it’s scrambled eggs or spoon fed yogurt and won’t move that it might be time. I’ll give a couple more TLC days and see where we are at.