Egg bound Silkie can't pass the egg...Help!

[2manypeeps]

Hi all,
I have a 6 yo Silkie hen that has an egg that she hasn't been able to pass for a couple of days now. I've been doing warm soaks, lubricating her vent, giving calcium, and keeping her warm under a heat lamp. She was pecked by the other hens pretty bad around her vent several months ago and has since recuperated. She layed her last egg around the end of March and the last few then were bloody. This is her first one since...I thought she was done. When I watch her try to lay this egg, her vent won't dialate. She has runny to semi solid poop and she is eating and drinking. What can I do now? I feel horrible for her....she strains and make the most pitiful sounds. I know it hurts.

 

[Judy]

It sounds like you have done what can be done. Ideally, take her to a vet and have the egg surgically removed. You could try pulling the contents of the egg out with a suringe, then gently breaking it just a little, without tearing the iner membrane so the shell fragments will stay stuck to the membrane as much as possible, to make it small enough to pass. Of course there is a good chance the broken shell will cut her as it emerges. I don't know of a good solution to this. I'm afraid many would put her down; sorry.