Egg bound?

[dandelionseed]

Hi there!

My favorite hen is very sick.

She is about 4 years old. Has always lived in my house. Very tame. A larger serama.

She went through a long period of not laying eggs. Recently started laying eggs again.

I noticed yesterday that she looked broody in her cage- sitting likeca hen would on a hot day, head up, low to ground, wings out to the side (like she would do if trying to shed body heat). I assumed she was sitting on an egg & decided I would slip more eggs I had been saving under her at night time.

Night time came. I found NO eggs under her!

She has her head up, alert. Eats and drinks.

Wings always down to side. If I pick them up, they fall down to side slowly. She does not protest.

Last night I could feel a soft shelled egg in her by feeling around with my thumb and pointer finger.

I thought she was egg bound so I gave her a very warm bath for 20 minutes. She did not protest. She didn't try to push the egg out either.

The egg was definitly soft shelled, it would bend to my gentle finger pressure.

I am hoping the egg will be firmer today.

She is not paralyzed. She slowly scoots around. Slowly. She does NOT walk though.

I am really lost & do not know what to do.

I can not afford a vet right now. I am currently laid off of work.

She was getting layer crumbles. No extra oyster shells. I have some now though. I am hoping she will eat them.

I gave her one "shot" of poultry nutri drench in her mouth last night.

I read I might be able to buy liquid calcium at a pharmacy? (Again, money is VERY tight as I search for a job).

Can someone help me?

 

[dandelionseed]

She is currently eating oyster shell & drinking nutri drench water. I put food right infront of her too, & gravel....

She is in a dog crate on newspaper.

She doesn't look to be pushing.

But her rear end occassionally sways from side to side, just barely, so maybe that is her trying to push?

Oh- it is harder to feel the egg now because she feels more swollen, that is, her body is poofy towards her vent (no, nothing is protruding)

****I can load videos to youtube if that would help.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have any calcium tablets or Tums at home? You can crush one of those up and give it to her, but be careful not to give too much. I think 500 mg is good for a large fowl, so it would need to be 1/8 or 1/4 of that. They sell calcium gluconate in liquid at the feed stores for cattle.

 

[dandelionseed]

Well, the nutridrench has calcium in it too... and with the oyster shells- if I give her tums as well, will that be too much calcium (3 different sources)?

She jusy passed a green & white poo. It was regular sized for her.

I thought if she was egg bound, poo couldn't come out?

She sometimes sits with her feet awkward under her.

I noticed a couple times in the last few monthd that when I'd pick her up there was a tiny movement in her bones underneath. A small gentle "pop."

I was told this is normal for hens- that their bones are slightly moveable tio help in egg laying and in nest sitting...

She was able to walk then..... Perfectly fine.

She can't walk now- barely moves her legs.

I felt the bones move again when I picked her up to clean the poop out from under her.

Could a bone be broken?

And I know I felt an egg in there last night... so the poop coming out just shocks me!!!

Oh! And sometimes her feet at in funny positions under her.

Sometimesopen feet. Sometimes curled shut in a ball. Sometimes they are under her. Sometimes they are jutted forward.

And she seems to be breathing hard, not gasping though- her beak is closed.

 

[dandelionseed]

Two baths with massages.


Still no passed egg

 

[Eggcessive]

Be careful about too much calcium--she probably has enough. She may be laying internally or have egg yolk peritonitis. You may be feeling internally layed eggs, but they are not blocking her vent. Here is a good thread to read: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ng-update-death-by-rubber-egg-graphic-pics/10

 

[dandelionseed]

I have a vet appointment for her at 2:45 today but I honestly cant afford it....

She is breathing harder now...

Very sad...

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how it goes.