- Jan 4, 2012
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I'm new to the forum, but not the Backyard Chicken website. I have to tell you that for me this site is invaluable! I want to use this forum to tell you my story which began the week before Christmas with (of coarse) my favorite hen, Lilly. Lilly's place of choice is on my shoulder, cuddled into my neck and so of coarse she also nested very firmly in my heart. I have 6 hens, 4 Orpingtons and 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes. Lilly is a GLW. I check on the girls before and after work. Lilly was fine when I left. When I got home, she was obviously distressed, came running over to me and hopped from one foot to the other, crying. I picked her up and that's when I saw she had an egg stuck partially out, but mostly in. I checked to see if I could help get the egg out, but the rim of the vent had "dried" tight to the egg. Now I'm the one crying and I take her into the house and immediatley started running the kitchen sink full of warm water. She is a cuddler, so holding her is never a problem. I lowered her in the sink and just kept massaging the vent opening. After 30 minutes, the egg remained firmly stuck and I had to use my fingernail to loosen it from the egg (If anyone has a "real tool" idea that wouldn't hurt the vent, please let me know). It took 45 minutes total, but the egg finally came out and poor Lilly couldn't stop pushing. She prolapsed. Now What!!! I called my dad who is a real farmer (cows only) and he was at a loss, but did tell me how before the day of local veterinarians, my grandpa would rub honey on the prolapse of any cow and for some reason that would draw the uterus back inside. This was Lilly, I was willing to try anything. Out came the organic honey. I warmed it in the microwave and applied it to Lilly's backside, wrapped her in a towel, got out my dog's old pet carrier, layered some newspaper and tried to make Lilly comfortable. From the BYC I learned I had to keep her in the dark to stop her cycle and by keeping her warm, her body would expend the energy in healing. Everyday I would take Lilly out to bathe her (twice daily), however she stopped eating and drinking and everyday I cried. (My husband of coarse thought I was nuts bathing and crying over a chicken, but he never once suggested I do anything else. When it started to started to smell like a coop in my diningroom, my husband would light a scented candle and give me a hug.)
This went on for 7 days. Twice daily baths, new bedding, no eating or drinking. By day seven I thought it was all over. I took the day off from work to spend it with Lilly. I took her out, washed her bottom in warm water, wrapped her in a towel and waited for her to die. But she didn't. She started getting antsy, so I got her water dish, dipped my fingers in and brought it to her beak. She greedily took the water from me and then from the dish. I immediately made her oatmeal in warm milk.....and she started to eat. On Dec. 29th after 7 days of no food or water. I took Lilly back to the coop. I waited until dark when the other girls were roosting and placed Lilly on the roost next to them. (Now you are only supposed to keep them out of the coop for 3 days before the other hens won't recognize them, but I had no choice) At this point I hoped for the best as I had done what I could and my husband was starting to fear we would have a house chicken. As of today, January 4th, I am so happy to report that Lilly is bright eyed, happy and has layed 3 eggs without any troubles. Now I know that the chances of her prolapsing again are very good, but I'm staying optimistic and would do it all over again if given the choice. You see, although my other hens will probably end their days by nourishing us from a soup pot, my Lilly is getting her very own retirement coop.
