Egg bound

[Zipdot12]

I believe my 3 year old hen is egg bound. She is lethargic, not eating or drinking, walking all hunched over with her tail drooping. I separated her from her flock two days ago and put her in a dark warm place. Today I have been giving her warm baths every couple of hours with gentle massage and lubricating her vent. i can see she is straining and yet still nothing. Her butt is quite swollen. I’m not quite sure what to do next. I don’t want to loose her but am afraid I have waited to lone. How long should it take for her to pass it and how long is too long. I haven’t given her any calcium as I’m not sure how much to give her. I have 600 mg calcium carbonate with vitamin D3 tablets (the human kind) and don’t know if this is safe to give her. Could use all the help I can get. This is the first time I’ve gone through this with any of my girls.

 

[azygous]

It's safe. Give her one tablet whole right in her beak. NOW.

Calcium is one thing that has the ability to stimulate the contractions she needs to push out the egg. I keep a bottle of calcium tablets in my run at all times to give a hen at the first sign of egg trouble.

 

[Zipdot12]

It's safe. Give her one tablet whole right in her beak. NOW.

Calcium is one thing that has the ability to stimulate the contractions she needs to push out the egg. I keep a bottle of calcium tablets in my run at all times to give a hen at the first sign of egg trouble.

Whole? I don’t crush it or mix it with water?

 

[azygous]

Have you ever seen a chicken swallow a mouse whole? If not, I'll show you a video. Chickens handle pills better than people do because they're used to swallowing without chewing.

 

[Zipdot12]

Have you ever seen a chicken swallow a mouse whole? If not, I'll show you a video. Chickens handle pills better than people do because they're used to swallowing without chewing.

Thanks for your advice. Just gave her one now. Will see if that gets things moving.

 

[Zipdot12]

Thanks for your advice. Just gave her one now. Will see if that gets things moving.

Meant to ask you how often should I give her a tablet? Can I give her one a day until I get results?

 

[azygous]

Once a day as long as it's at leats 600mg.