Egg bound? Please help!

[just3girls]

First clue something might be wrong was my hen seemed to be in the nest box most of the day, the day before yesterday. I thought maybe she was broody, but the only egg that there wasn't hers (I don't know if that matters). Then yesterday she came out occasionally but seemed lethargic, not interested in treats like scratch or tomatoes like she usually would be.

I read up a bit - it seems like she could be egg bound, but I'm not sure. Her tail feathers are not pointing up like usual but they also aren't pointing down to make her look like a penguin. They're more like horizontal. I can't feel anything that might be an egg near her vent. And she has had some very liquidy - looking poopiness around her backside.

We've tried giving her a warm bath and also setting her above a steamy pan of water. So far, nothing.

First, does this even sound like egg binding? - And if not, any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[missnu01]

Just separate her to a clean warm dry area all to herself and see if she will eat and drink. You can keep trying with the warm soaks, and try adding some calcium. Like a calcium supplement for people in the vitamin section...sometimes a calcium boost will help with egg issues, and it might be what is troubling her. You can also try to oil up her vent area so any egg there might come out a little easier.

 

[MemesChicks]

I've been dealing with the same issue with one of my girls. I was going through the posts on egg bound hens last night. My girl had the same symptoms that you and the others have discussed (it came on quick, too). I'm sad to report that she passed away last night. But, I did everthing you all said, and it did help even though she passed in the end. The warm bath made her more comfortable and relaxed, and she did take some water during and after the bath (she wouldn't before). I'm grateful for the time she was with us, and also that her suffering wasn't long.

I have three others laying, and two new ones that are in the brooder. This is my first time with chickens in my life. This is my go-to place, and even my son who alerted me yesterday found his way to this site on his own.

I hope everything goes well with your girl. Please keep us posted.

 

[just3girls]

Oh, no! I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm hoping that this one recovers because otherwise that would leave us with just one lonely hen. We had one other that died last summer. I'm surprised by how much she seems to like the bath! Normally I wouldn't think she'd tolerate that so much. But who knows?

 

[MemesChicks]

I'm glad the bath is helping. I couldn't believe it either when Red settled down into the warm water. She let me bathe her vent area with it, too. She really relaxed in it. I was also able to get her to drink drops of water from a kids medicine syringe; we got a good 5-6 mls into her. We wrapped her in a towel when she was ready to get out. She just let us hold her until it was time to go in. It just wasn't meant to be.

I'm keeping your girl in my thoughts.

 

[just3girls]

I was surprised this morning to find that she did not die during the night. In fact, she doesn't look any worse than yesterday. She's still lethargic, but it doesn't look like the end is imminent. She's been drinking water and eating a bit. It almost makes me wonder if it could be something else, except there's almost nothing coming out the vent. A tiny bit of runny poop, that's about it. I think I'll try the bath again today and see if anything helps.

 

[MemesChicks]

How's your girl doing? Did she get better?

 

[just3girls]

Hi! Thanks for asking! She's kind of better. She definitely was not egg bound. She's not laying still, and still has pretty runny poop. But she's not quite so lethargic and her tail feathers have perked up. We had her inside for a couple of days, then treated her with an antibiotic (which I'm not sure did much) and now we're giving her a probiotic and electrolytes and vitamins in the water. So I guess I'd say she seems a little better than she did at first. So we'll see!

 

[MemesChicks]

Sounds like she's on the mend...glad to hear it.