Egg-bound vs Internal Laying vs Eating Large Rocks (x-ray).

[Rockin' Reds]

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She wasn't drained and her abdomen seemed to reduce after the laxative, so hopefully that's all it was. I just hope she doesn't do it again. If indeed it was just the gravel, how long do you think it will take her to resume laying again....if at all? I had her inside for 7 days and no egg and I haven't seen her go into the nest box yet today, but I have only been out twice today. Thanks again for all your help!!

 

[speckledhen]

Do you know how long it's been since she laid an egg? If you're in some way dealing with internal laying in addition to the gravel collection she acquired, she most likely won't ever lay again. Where was the gravel anyway? I wasn't clear on that. It would have had to be in the stomach or intestines if it had already passed from the crop, but still, something about this doesn't make sense. I'm thinking she has more than just the rock issue going on, but hopefully not.

 

[Rockin' Reds]

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Oh crap...I hadn't even thought of having 2 issues!

Well, it's difficult for me to keep track of who does what with 10 hens sharing the same nest boxes. That said, I did catch her on the nest box twice the week before, and when I went back out there was no egg either time. This is what made me worry about EYP after initially discovering her belly so swollen. So for sure it has been 8 days (no egg today yet) but I would have to guess counting the week prior perhaps more like 12+ days. That would be my best educated guess. When I let the girls out to free range today I picked her up and her belly is still okay...not swollen...and she is acting normally. Would the swelling have gone down on it's own like it did if she was laying internally? Also, could she have maybe had diarrhea and thought she was just eating extra grit to firm up her poo?

As far as the x-ray goes, the vet didn't say exactly and I didn't ask (DUH), but I would assume by looking at the anatomy chart either still in the gizzard (there were also really tiny grit like particles too, which makes me think gizzard) or the bottom of the duodenal loop getting ready to enter the small intestine where they got stuck causing the swelling. This was not a big mass-like structure...they were individual pieces, some large, some small.

Regardless of her egg-laying status she stays because I adore her. I suppose time will be the ultimate tale-teller as far as EYP or not, because if she is laying internally this will continue to happen. She fits basically all of the criteria you have presented in your posts. I have kind of stalked your posts on this subject and I know you know what you are talking about. Maybe not kind of...I'm a full on post stalker.

 

[Rockin' Reds]

Just an update: day 3 back out with the flock and no signs of swelling. Good news!!

 

[speckledhen]

Glad she isn't swelling. To answer your question, yes, you can have internal laying with no swollen belly. The first several of my hens to die from it did not have any swelling, just were bone thin at the end with razor sharp keels, even one who had not laid an egg in 14 months. Hopefully, that is not what is wrong with her, though.

 

[mypicklebird]

On a normal chicken x-ray, there will be a small handful of pebbles in the gizzard. Rocks, pebbles and metal pieces will all look the same on x-rays except for the shape +/- size. Rocks look very different from soft tissue things. Metal and rock completely block the x-ray beam and the things will be a white silhouette. Your vet will be able to see rocks in the gizzard, and rocks where they are not really supposed to be in large numbers.... For whatever reason, it sounds like your chicken mistook your driveway gravel for food- but it has passed or is passing on through. Chickens who eat silly things, can do it again- so hopefully she can stay away from the driveway. Do you ever scatted scratch or food on the driveway for them that might make her pick up gravel on accident?

 

[Rockin' Reds]

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She doesn't seem thin, so that's a plus. Again, thanks for all of your invaluable information...you have been a tremendous help!!

 

[Rockin' Reds]

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Thanks for your response mypicklebird. Actually they did have a white silhouette and there were 6 or so of them along with the tiny ones. As far as I can tell (and believe me I'm no expert) they appeared to be at the bottom of the duodenal loop where the small intestine starts. And yes...

I did toss out some cranberries that I was getting rid of and some went into the rocks. This was on a Sunday and I noticed her not feeling well on Monday. It never occurred to me that the silly chicken would eat the rocks....they never have before, at least not that I have been aware of. It would be nearly impossible to keep her away from them completely. Anyway...she seems to be back to her old self and was even roosting in her old place when I checked on her last night, so it appears pecking order has been reestablished. I'm just glad she is better.

Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[AinaWGSD]

Glad to hear your hen is doing better. I just wanted to let you know that you can not see the lumps of egg yolk from egg peritonitis on an x-ray. I used to work for a board certified avian vet and have monitored surgery for several hysterectomies in parrots that were having egg laying issues. On several occasions he'd get into the body cavity and find chunks of egg material in the abdomen outside of the oviduct and it was always a "surprise" in that he could not tell whether or not they would be present by looking at the x-ray (an important first diagnostic in all birds with egg laying issues). Sometimes he could see if there was more than one egg or if the egg was poorly formed if it had gone far enough down the "assembly line" to have calcium deposited for the shell. But earlier in the egg formation process the only thing you have to go on to tell if there is an egg there or not on x-ray is whether or not there appears to be any enlargement of the reproductive tract, which is tricky and subjective at best.