Egg mites?? Egg bound hen??

[Barredrocker99]

Hello all. Recently I posted about a leghorn I had who was exhibiting signs of being egg bound, and was laying soft shelled eggs. After an epsom salt bath and some calcium, she was laying eggs again and is back to her usual self. Another one of my chickens, a BR, is now seeming quite bound up. She has a very large and ROCK HARD abdomen, and I’m almost certain I can feel(at least) one egg inside. I had a heat lamp in there because it has been so damn cold here, and I’m thinking that has to be the cause for the laying issues in both my girls. The BR seems okay physically.. I gave her an epsom salt bath last night and kept her inside so she didn’t get too cold… but I woke up in the morning to discover not only have no eggs been passed, but as I was massaging her abdomen for a minute, I looked at my hands and I was COVERED in chicken mites. I’ve never encountered them before, and I’m just at a loss. I’m not sure what to do about this poor egg bound(???) hen, and now I have to worry about ALL of my girls succumbing to mites. Please, any tips would be greatly appreciated. How I can help my BR, and what to do about these awful mites…

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you insert a clean or gloved finger into her vent 1-2 inches, to feel for a stuck egg? Mites can be treated with permethrin garden dust or the permethrin spray from the feed store. You will also have to removed all bedding in the coop and spray to coop, nests, and roosts with permethrin 10 concentrate mixed with water in a spray bottle or garden sprayer. Mites hatch out every 5-7 days, so the treatment will need to be done at least twice after 7 days. Here is a good article on mites and lice:
https://poultryhealthinspection.ucd...-files/treatment-of-lice-mites-of-poultry.pdf and another one:

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[Barredrocker99]

Can you insert a clean or gloved finger into her vent 1-2 inches, to feel for a stuck egg? Mites can be treated with permethrin garden dust or the permethrin spray from the feed store. You will also have to removed all bedding in the coop and spray to coop, nests, and roosts with permethrin 10 concentrate mixed with water in a spray bottle or garden sprayer. Mites hatch out every 5-7 days, so the treatment will need to be done at least twice after 7 days. Here is a good article on mites and lice:
https://poultryhealthinspection.ucd...-files/treatment-of-lice-mites-of-poultry.pdf and another one:

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

I can’t right now, as I’m at work.. but I will definitely try when I get home, as long as all is well. What makes me especially nervous is I think this has been going on for longer than 48 hours, as she was having trouble with her vent being extremely messy a few weeks ago. I’ll get the spray tonight to take care of that. Thank you very much for your help

 

[RoyalChick]

I am sorry I am only an amateur at this but from what I have read for the egg binding you need to give her calcium citrate (like from the women's health aisle in the pharmacy) - just pop it down the side of her throat. You may also need to lube up - water based personal lubricant (also available at the pharmacy) and gently stick your finger in her vent to see if it really is an egg. Not sure about the mites.
Much of what I have learned has been from reading @azygous so I am tagging her here as I saw nobody had responded and I am not confident enough to be your only guide!
Hope it works out OK.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You have replies on your other thread, did you see them?!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/egg-mites-egg-bound-hen.1511650/


Is your Barred Rock pooping?

 

[Barredrocker99]

You have replies on your other thread, did you see them?!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/egg-mites-egg-bound-hen.1511650/


Is your Barred Rock pooping?

there was only one, I was hoping to get a few more suggestions. She is. They're not huge poops, but she's pooping. They're a bright green color and pretty gnarly smelling. More than usual.

 

[N F C]

You have replies on your other thread, did you see them?!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/egg-mites-egg-bound-hen.1511650/


Is your Barred Rock pooping?

there was only one, I was hoping to get a few more suggestions. She is. They're not huge poops, but she's pooping. They're a bright green color and pretty gnarly smelling. More than usual.

The 2 threads have been combined into this one.

 

[N F C]

@Barredrocker99 sorry this has happened with your thread. I've asked another moderator to double check the merge I did earlier to see what happened.

Best wishes

 

[Barredrocker99]

@Barredrocker99 sorry this has happened with your thread. I've asked another moderator to double check the merge I did earlier to see what happened.

Best wishes

No that’s okay, it seemed like you were only trying to be helpful

 

[aart]

@Barredrocker99 sorry this has happened with your thread. I've asked another moderator to double check the merge I did earlier to see what happened.

Best wishes

Good move @N F C , hope it can be found.

Wonders @Barredrocker99 if you saw that post on your other thread?