Egg bound with a soft-shelled egg?

Eddie12109

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Nov 14, 2020
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Hi all,
I am dealing with an almost 9 year old hen who seems to be egg bound. Here is what is going on:

About 12 days ago I decided to put her on amoxicillin because she had an infected preen gland and also she was head shaking a little bit. She also had decently loose poop. She is currently towards the end of her molt.

I have been checking her out everyday and it seems to me (and when my dad was holding her he noticed) that she is feeling lighter than usual. Her keel bone isn't noticeably protruding so I am assuming it is due to the molt but not positive.

I have always noticed that her crop is odd, it usually doesn't hang down like normal crops, it isn't baggy at all and she never likes when I touch it because I pinch her because it is usually hard to feel but this has been her whole life I would assume, I know it's been this way for over two years.

Yesterday, her crop was feeling a little off as in not moving so I massaged it and waited until the morning to feel it again. This morning, it was the same as yesterday so I set up a dog cage in my porch and that's where she stayed for the 5 hours I was gone volunteering to see what she would poop out and if her crop would go down. When I came back, she had all of these white, wet, and small poops. I opened up her cage and she barely moved to get out, she eventually moved towards the corner of my porch and huddled by herself in the corner. This was when I saw that the white poops were dribbling down her bottom and I immediately thought egg bound. This was at around 2:45 and it is now 6:30.

During that time I gave her:
two epsom salt baths, both 15 minutes and in the last one I massaged her
A calcium tablet with D3
Electrolytes, not even 4 mL but I barely but any water so it was thick with the powder.
An eyedropper worth of mineral oil

Here is what I am guessing it is:

Starting back last year, she has been laying soft-shelled eggs. She used to lay them every night, then would go every other night, and it would not be consistent. Every time she laid one, she got calcium but no matter how much calcium, they were never hard shelled eggs. Finally, four months ago she seemed to retire from it, but then 2 months ago she laid one randomly at night without me knowing she needed to lay one.
In addition to soft shells, she always lays them around 10:00 pm. Leading up to it, even four hours in advanced, she would be pulsating her vent and showing visible signs she has to lay an egg including making noises.
My first guess is that this is a stray soft-shelled egg and she is waiting until night to lay it. I wouldn't be too surprised but I want to make sure I am doing everything right. ***** I also stuck my finger up her butt and couldn't feel anything hard but she screamed like I was touching something. I doubt you would be able to feel a soft shelled but... ****

My next guess would be that she ate a bead, one of those round ones you put on a necklace, and she is clogged from that. That is my second guess because I used to have a bead on my chickens grave site and it disappeared two days ago.

@Wyorp Rock @Aunt Angus @azygous @Eggcessive
 
Well, one of my top three favorite hens who was top hen died last night in my arms. I am so devastated, she was such an amazing hen, I grew up with her.
Today has been extraordinarily hard but I want to talk about what could've killed her. I do think it could've been EYP. She has, for more than a year, had a chunky abdomen as in it felt like fat was drooping her abdomen down a bit. Could it have been eggs? And could she have still laid soft-shelled eggs with yolks in her abdomen?
Two days ago she finished up on her amoxicillin for 10 days. Why did this not help her? If I have given her enrofloxacin or another antibiotic could I have saved her?
I was planning on finding a vet for her today but I was too late, I feel guilty but she would've died months ago if I didn't give her antibiotics to save her. It was so sudden though, she was fine yesterday at 7am, scratching around but not eating and when I got home, she was very slow. I have never dealt with a chicken dying so quickly.
Oh goodness, I miss her so badly.

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive
 
Sorry for your loss. Reproductive disorders (internal laying and salpingitis, cancer, ascites, or egg yolk peritonitis are very common in hens, and best diagnosed with a necropsy. Your state vet can do a professional one with tissue samples and cultures, but you also may do a simple necropsy at home which may show some of the above. Take pictures if you do one, and post them here.
 
Well, one of my top three favorite hens who was top hen died last night in my arms. I am so devastated, she was such an amazing hen, I grew up with her.
Today has been extraordinarily hard but I want to talk about what could've killed her. I do think it could've been EYP. She has, for more than a year, had a chunky abdomen as in it felt like fat was drooping her abdomen down a bit. Could it have been eggs? And could she have still laid soft-shelled eggs with yolks in her abdomen?
Two days ago she finished up on her amoxicillin for 10 days. Why did this not help her? If I have given her enrofloxacin or another antibiotic could I have saved her?
I was planning on finding a vet for her today but I was too late, I feel guilty but she would've died months ago if I didn't give her antibiotics to save her. It was so sudden though, she was fine yesterday at 7am, scratching around but not eating and when I got home, she was very slow. I have never dealt with a chicken dying so quickly.
Oh goodness, I miss her so badly.

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive
I'm sorry to hear she died:hugs

Unfortunately with reproductive disorders, there is no cure and a hen will eventually succumb to the condition that is causing her troubles. Medications and/or supportive care may help make a hen more comfortable and/or prolong life for a short period of time.

I agree, a necropsy either by your state lab can give you a lot of information. Doing an informal one yourself can also be a learning experience and you may be able to see some of the things that may have been going on with her. I'm no necropsy expert, I do my own hens when the time comes, but if you decide you want to do your own, take some photos and me may be able to help you with what you see.
 
Thank you for asking 😊
They are still alive. Eddie is doing good and so are my other two. The only thing is is that I have an ascites one who’s getting a little filled.
Rihanna came back from cremation center today.
No one is acting sick. I thought that since this flock was so special that I wouldn’t get anymore but now that there are three left I don’t know.
I would love to know what you think about that poop though. That night I gave probiotics and she didn’t have another poop like that, that I know of but still want to know what you think.
A one time poop like that could be from anything. She ate egg, so it could be from something she ate.

I know it's been painful for you losing your hen and dealing with multiple issues like symptoms of Ascites, reproductive disorders, crop problems, etc. Unfortunately all these issues/symptoms are fairly common in laying hens. As they get older their bodies begin to fail just like we if we are lucky enough to get older. It's sad, but having hens live as long as yours have is a wonderful thing. You have taken good care of them. I know it doesn't lessen the heartache, we all face it at some point, but take comfort that they have had a long life and have been loved.
 
I have a hen who lays droppings with yellow urates, and she has a reproductive disorder. Since your hen is older and has had a history of soft shell eggs, she may have egg yolk peritonitis. Can you see a vet?
 
Thank you for asking 😊
They are still alive. Eddie is doing good and so are my other two. The only thing is is that I have an ascites one who’s getting a little filled.
Rihanna came back from cremation center today.
No one is acting sick. I thought that since this flock was so special that I wouldn’t get anymore but now that there are three left I don’t know.
I would love to know what you think about that poop though. That night I gave probiotics and she didn’t have another poop like that, that I know of but still want to know what you think.
 

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