Egg-bound

[fowl weathered friend]

Wasn't sure if this shoud go in diseases, etc, but it seems to be a pretty common problem and not necessarily an emergency.
My EE has been going into the nest box for the past 3 days but laying nothing (I also keep checking her typical hiding spots and haven't found any eggs), and is a little slower moving and waddles a bit like a penguin.
I figure she's probably egg-bound and sit her in a warm water bath for 15 mins or so, and then sit her on a heating pad for a while.
Now I have her in a dark, comfy place with food and water.

How often do I have to repeat this process, is there anything that can help speed it up, and when may I expect the egg to pass? Someone mentioned in a past post about baby aspirin or something?

She was surprisingy calm in the warm water bath btw! I was expecting her to holler and fight like my cats: seemed pretty unfazed and at ease with the whole process.

 

[gritsar]

Have you felt low on her abdomen for a stuck egg? Some of my hens don't lay every day, but are so used to the routine of going to the nest box they do so whether they have an egg to lay that day or not.

 

[fowl weathered friend]

I did feel her abdomen and it seems like there may be something there. I didn't want to press to hard to poke too much for fear of cracking or breaking any egg that may be there.
Usually she lays pretty frequently so it's not like her to go sit there for 30-60 mins without anything...

Hopefully not eggbound! Either way, she's got a bath and a lot of one-on-one attention.

 

[chickbliss7]

I'm worried about my 11 month old Barred Rock hen. She has never laid an egg (nor have I ever seen her in a nest), but she spent all last night in a nest box. I found her there this morning. The others were lined up waiting to get in the available boxes, and finally one of them literally kicked her out. I picked her up and held her for a long time, but couldn't feel anything except a bulge in her craw. Finally, I set her down and she walked stiffly around with her feathers all poofed out like a tom turkey! She was aggressive to the others. She had an incident of explosive diarrhea (all over me), and when I came back from cleaning up, there she was in the nest box again! Is she sick? Is she trying to lay an egg? Egg-bound? I don't know what to do! Help!!

 

[ears73]

Quote:
I have a similar issue w/one of my white cochins except the rooster is chasing her away when she is off the nest. She also puffs out her wings like a tom and makes clucking/brawwking noises constantly while walking slowly around. Ours, however, lays an egg every day but lets us take it out from underneath her... I assumed she was broody, but I have no idea why the roo would chase her away from the rest of the gang?? Any ideas would be very much appreciated!

 

[chikenlady]

I have a cochin hen acting strangely, as well. She is sitting in her preferred nest area...but laying no eggs. When I check under her there are no eggs and have not been for 4 days! She does not seem to walk strangely.

Do hens take a break from laying or are they eating the eggs?? There is absolutely no evidence of eaten eggs around.

Thanks, Lori