Egg bound symptoms - help!

[QuoVadis]

I have a very small Dutch bantam hen who is about a year and a half old. A month of two ago I noticed she had all the classic egg bound symptoms (listless, walking like a penguin, hard butt area) so I brought her inside and did what I have done in the past for egg bound hens - Calcium, asprin, and then a warm bath. Soon afterward she layed a huge and shell-less egg. This treatment has worked pretty much every time I have ever had to do it int he past with other chickens.

So last weekend I noticed the same hen seemed a little off. Not the really noticeable symptoms like last time, but just off. When I felt her behind it was large like she had an egg stck again. So I brought her in and did the same treatment with no results. I repeated it the next day and again no results. At that point she still didn't really seem to feel discomfort so I put her back with the other chickens hoping maybe back there she would lay it in the nest box. Well she hasn't, she back end is still big, but she has not really gotten any worse (or better). She still seems a bit off to me, but she is eating, drinking and walking around.

What should I do? This chicken is very much a pet. I can still feel a definite large, egg shaped object between her pelvic bones, but I think it may be a shell-less egg again, because it feels to mushy to have a shell to me. Is there anything else I can try? Repeat the same treatment again? Leave her be as long is she doesn't get worse?

Thanks!

 

[QuoVadis]

Bump

 

[Akrnaf2]

I have a very small Dutch bantam hen who is about a year and a half old. A month of two ago I noticed she had all the classic egg bound symptoms (listless, walking like a penguin, hard butt area) so I brought her inside and did what I have done in the past for egg bound hens -  Calcium, asprin, and then a warm bath. Soon afterward she layed a huge and shell-less egg. This treatment has worked pretty much every time I have ever had to do it int he past with other chickens. 

So last weekend I noticed the same hen seemed a little off. Not the really noticeable symptoms like last time, but just off. When I felt her behind it was large like she had an egg stck again. So I brought her in and did the same treatment with no results. I repeated it the next day and again no results. At that point she still didn't really seem to feel discomfort so I put her back with the other chickens hoping maybe back there she would lay it in the nest box. Well she hasn't, she back end is still big, but she has not really gotten any worse (or better). She still seems a bit off to me, but she is eating, drinking and walking around.

What should I do? This chicken is very much a pet. I can still feel a definite large, egg shaped object between her pelvic bones, but I think it may be a shell-less egg again, because it feels to mushy to have a shell to me. Is there anything else I can try? Repeat the same treatment again? Leave her be as long is she doesn't get worse?

Thanks!

There are genetically prone chicken for egg Bound. According to your description the chicken is probably one them.I think it is the miserable to the chicken to live like that, sometimes in life you have to take some tough decision.......

 

[QuoVadis]

While I appreciate your input there is no way I putting this chicken down at this point. She is still walking around, eating and drinking, and I think there must be options I have not exhuasted yet. This is only the second time this has happened, and she has been laying for over a year.

If anyone has any ideas other than to kill her, please suggest away.

 

[Akrnaf2]

Of course, I respect your point of view. according to your description
you know exactly what to do in case the phenomenon occurs .
Regarding prevention you can make sure it gets enough calcium and vitamin D in food aspesialy at niget.
You can also try to ensure that it is not suffering from any infection of the genital organs .
In addition, I think you need to think about what to do if the phenomenon will become more common .
Good luck

 

[casportpony]

Very gently insert a lubed, gloved finger about 1/2" and check for an egg.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Pictures:







If you find and egg you can give calcium orally at 50 mg per pound, then place her in a warm bathroom full of steam for several hours. This is what I use:

Available at Tractor Supply in the cattle section. Dose per pound is 0.2ml. Refrigerate after opening.

-Kathy

 

[QuoVadis]

I do not have Tractor Supply by me, but I already have some calcium pills with D in them, so I gave her about 200mg of that. I ground it up in my mortar and then used wet bread to soak up the powder. I also made her scambled eggs today with crumbled shells in them, and she ate that. FYI her poop is also normal. I will get gloves to check for an egg and then repeat the bath and steamy bathroom trick. Hopefully it works this time! I may not have given her enough calcium initially.

If I can feel an egg and the calcium and bath don't work should I consider trying to break it apart to get it out?

 

[sepaditty1]

I just lost a bantam hen & I had no idea why. After reading this I figure she was egg bound. Poor thing.

 

[QuoVadis]

Te hen is currently taking a warm bath, she has plenty of calcium in her system, as well as some asprin. I felt in her with a lubed glove and I did fell an egg shaped object that is huge compared to this tiny hen. When I palpate externally the "egg" is directly under her vent. I am really praying she lays an egg after the bath, but if she does not what is my next move?

Thanks!