egg bound?

[mzwan6nl]

hello all-
i need some advice. i have a hen, approximately one year old. she is an americana breed and has not begun to lay. we've noticed that she is slower than the rest in the brood. yesterday, i noticed that she was spending more time than usual apart from the group, laying down, eyes closed and sometimes breathing with her mouth open. i mentioned this to my husband and he said that he has noticed the same thing throughout the past few weeks. i was wondering if maybe this is a sign that she is egg bound? is there a remedy if she is? any advice would be much appreciated!!
macy

 

[MikasGirl]

Okay, this might sound gross:

If you really think there is a possibility that she is egg bound, you can grease up your pinky (make sure your nail is REALLY short with Vaseline or Prep H and slowly check her vent. If you feel an egg, you can soak her in a warm bath for, I'd probably say 20 minutes, and then dry her off. It might help her pass the egg. Good luck!

 

[artsyrobin]

also, put a tums in her water- it will help her relax and give her the extra calcium needed to pass the egg- and yes some things we do to nurse our chickens may sound gross, but it is necessary- i generally bathe mine, then massage their stomach...

 

[mzwan6nl]

thanks for the advice. i tried the vaseline and put my pinky in her vent but didn't feel anything. would an egg be further in than the length of my pinky? any other theories on her behavior if she isn't egg bound?!
macy