Egg bound?

[The Dread]

Hi! I'm really worried about one of my Rhode Island Reds; she is 2 years old and displaying symptoms of an egg binding chicken . She walks around with her tail down like a penguin, has poop stuck all over her vent and surrounding feathers, mostly sits around without eating or singing, doesn't roost at night, occasionally squats like she's straining to get something out, and is isolated and attacked by the other girls.

After some research, we decided that she must be egg binding and tried keeping her in a warm humid area for a couple hours, and then soaked her lower half in warm water for 20 minutes, but the egg hasn't come out D: We've been keeping her inside at night and taking her outside a little during the day. I gave her a heating pad but she doesn't seem to like it :/

She's been like this for well over a week, so I'm beginning to wonder if we misdiagnosed her or if there are more affective ways to treat her. Any words of wisdom are appreciated.

Thank you just for reading this this is my first post on BYC - I joined because I could really use some advice! This is my first real problem with any of my ladies and I want to make sure I treat her right and do all I can for her!

 

[Judy]

She may be an internal layer, she's about the right age, and there isn't much to say about that except, I'm sorry. You could try a baby aspirin every day or twice a day.

 

[DianaC]

I just had to put down one of my 4 year old Rhode Island Red hens. She had a really swollen abdomen and her breathing was heavy. She was not hot, so did not seem to have an infection. She had poop all stuck to her butt when I found her on Saturday. She was moving slowly and was really waddling. We kept her inside on Saturday night and she was not really much interested in food. She did eat 1 scrambled egg. I gave her a warm bath and tried to follow all the instructions I could find on this website, but nothing seemed to help. My husband and I examined her, stuck our fingers inside her to see whether we could find anything like an egg, but we could not. My husband felt that she was filled up with fluid.
On Sunday her condition was not improved and would not even eat scrambled egg that I offered her. I took her to the bird vet on Monday and he "tapped" her fluid. My hen weighed 2.8kg when she arrived at the vet. After the fluid was removed she weighed 1 kg. After her fluid was removed she started to eat while at the vet on Monday, and was a little perky and talking. The vet told me that it was likely cancer or some sort of cyst, based upon all the yellowish fluid that came out of her abdomen. At this point, my vet bill was up to $250 or so. I agreed to leave her overnight to see how she would do. The following day, she was more quiet and her fluid had started to build in her abdomen again. She would not eat out of my hand when I visited her at the vet.
Anyway, after much tears and heartache I agreed with my husband to euthanize her late yesterday. I also paid for a necropsy. Today is Wednesday and the vet told me that I made the right decision. My hen had carcinomatosis which I understand to be cancer. The reason why he could not feel anything wrong inside of her when he examined her was that she had these little white tumors all over her liver, kidney, digestive tract and reproductive tract. As I understand it, the tumors were strangling her intestines. Even if I had decided to take her home and give her pain medications and anti-inflammatory meds, she would have just gotten worse anyway.
It cost $450 to reach this conclusion. It would have cost $1000 or more to operate on her, which I'm glad I did not do, because the vet said he would have euthanized her on the operating table.
Even though my horrible experience is over, I wanted to share it. There seemed to be a lot of similar stories on this website, lots of people searching for answers. I did get my answer, but it cost me.
This bird was really special; when she was a pullet & a young hen she would jump onto my outstretched arm in my backyard. She was always very friendly. I will surely miss her.

 

[SunkissedChicks]

I just had to put down one of my 4 year old Rhode Island Red hens. She had a really swollen abdomen and her breathing was heavy. She was not hot, so did not seem to have an infection. She had poop all stuck to her butt when I found her on Saturday. She was moving slowly and was really waddling. We kept her inside on Saturday night and she was not really much interested in food. She did eat 1 scrambled egg. I gave her a warm bath and tried to follow all the instructions I could find on this website, but nothing seemed to help. My husband and I examined her, stuck our fingers inside her to see whether we could find anything like an egg, but we could not. My husband felt that she was filled up with fluid.
On Sunday her condition was not improved and would not even eat scrambled egg that I offered her. I took her to the bird vet on Monday and he "tapped" her fluid. My hen weighed 2.8kg when she arrived at the vet. After the fluid was removed she weighed 1 kg. After her fluid was removed she started to eat while at the vet on Monday, and was a little perky and talking. The vet told me that it was likely cancer or some sort of cyst, based upon all the yellowish fluid that came out of her abdomen. At this point, my vet bill was up to $250 or so. I agreed to leave her overnight to see how she would do. The following day, she was more quiet and her fluid had started to build in her abdomen again. She would not eat out of my hand when I visited her at the vet.
Anyway, after much tears and heartache I agreed with my husband to euthanize her late yesterday. I also paid for a necropsy. Today is Wednesday and the vet told me that I made the right decision. My hen had carcinomatosis which I understand to be cancer. The reason why he could not feel anything wrong inside of her when he examined her was that she had these little white tumors all over her liver, kidney, digestive tract and reproductive tract. As I understand it, the tumors were strangling her intestines. Even if I had decided to take her home and give her pain medications and anti-inflammatory meds, she would have just gotten worse anyway.
It cost $450 to reach this conclusion. It would have cost $1000 or more to operate on her, which I'm glad I did not do, because the vet said he would have euthanized her on the operating table.
Even though my horrible experience is over, I wanted to share it. There seemed to be a lot of similar stories on this website, lots of people searching for answers. I did get my answer, but it cost me.
This bird was really special; when she was a pullet & a young hen she would jump onto my outstretched arm in my backyard. She was always very friendly. I will surely miss her.

How horrible for you, I am sorry we fall for these girls don't we? Who would think we would even consider having a 450. vet bill on a chicken we paid a couple of dollers on.
I have a chicken who is not acting act bound but has not layed this is the second day, she had a poopy bum. Still eating, looking for her regular afternoon snacks, running around. She goes to sit to lay and nothing. This has gone on 2 days now. I am getting a bit worried.
I took her inside and washed her up and let the warm water run onto her vent for the longest time.
I hope she will lay today, she lays really big eggs, this could be part of her troubles. She lays double yolked eggs.

 

[AMBantams]

Recently lost my favorite hen to internal laying / infection. Same symptoms and experience as DianaC. We had to make the decision to put her down. The vet was helpful in understanding this condition since it was our first health issue. I understand what you are going through.