Eggbound hen - am I crazy to pay a vet $150?

[BWchicken]

Was the egg she laid normal looking? If it was flat on one side or had a flattened area on it, it's possible it isn't the stuck egg, but a new egg that managed to go around the stuck egg. I think it's rare but I know from experience it can happen. The flat area is from the egg being butted up against the stuck egg as it passes by. Sorry, I'm not trying to put a damper on things, just something to keep an eye out for. I regret that I didn't have the knowledge sooner. I'm hoping that Avril has laid another egg by now, and you can't feel any more eggs in her. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her! And I'd love to see her, can you post a pic? Please keep us posted.

 

[Kittymomma]

How's she doing today?

 

[sheeshshe]

Quote:
hmmm... makes me wonder if that is what that weird shaped egg was last week with mine...

 

[ace6175]

Avril laid another egg this morning! I put her in the cage again, and it worked! I don't know if this egg was flattened, because it was broken. The shell was pretty thin. The first egg was pretty round, but again, very thin shell. I'm shocked to hear that a chicken can pass a flattened egg around another egg! BWchicken, did you have a hen that did that? Did she survive?
I'm wondering now if she doesn't want to lay in the nest box? She has always been the low ranking hen, and very flighty - maybe one of the other hens bullied her out of the nest box?
I'm going to test my theory tomorrow morning - it feels like she has another egg that needs to come out, so I'll put her in the dog cage again & see if she lays that egg. Also feeding her oatmeal with a crushed calcium supplement.
Thanks for everyone's interest - maybe I needed a chicken behaviorist instead of a veterinarian.

 

[BWchicken]

I'm so glad she laid another one. Do you still feel an egg in her in the same place? I've read that if a hen is about to lay an egg and gets really disturbed, it can cause that egg to become bound. I don't know, it's just something I read, but maybe you're right about the others running her out of the nest box. And good call on giving her the calcium, she really needs it right now. It not only helps harden the shells (which makes them easier to lay), but it also immensely helps the uterus with contractions. Some birds with depleted calcium can't lay and become eggbound because those muscles have to have calcium in order to contract.

About passing an egg around another one, yes, I did have a hen that did that. It's been almost 2 months ago, and I haven't ever posted the end of the story on here yet, but maybe her experience will help another in her situation. She'd been laying fine for a couple months, then her egg laying became sporadic. I felt of her and could feel the stuck egg. Vet gave her injections to encourage laying (calcium and oxytocin). She laid an egg that night, it was long and flat-sided with a thin shell. But I could still feel an egg in her. She continued to lay every other day or so, always long eggs with the flat spot. It would take her like 12 hours of contractions (holding tail down, tail bobbing) to lay an egg like this, it was so hard on her. After she laid it, she seemed to feel really good, and the vet and I thought that was a good sign. But even immediately after laying, I could always still feel an egg in the very same place every time. So I started researching and found out what those flat spots meant and why I could still feel an egg in her. I talked to the vet who agreed these eggs were indeed going around the stuck egg. And X-rays proved it. The vet said that he was very concerned when he realized what was happening, and we were pretty sure at that point that the stuck egg was absolutely cemented to her shell gland (uterus). It had been the same egg stuck there the whole time and it would not budge. He said it was the worst he'd seen.

We decided the only option was for the vet to sedate her and suction out the egg contents, then break the shell and remove the pieces. So that's what we did. During the procedure, as the vet was suctioning the egg contents, she woke up and they had to increase the sedative (gas I think) for a moment. She went back to sleep and they lightened the sedative. But within a few seconds her heart stopped. They got it going again a couple times and even breathed for her, but they couldn't pull her back. I asked the vet what caused her to die, and he said birds do not handle sedation very well, and because her little body had been so stressed, and then adding the sedation too, she went into shock and died. I keep thinking she didn't have to die. The stuck egg isn't what killed her. On the days when she wasn't trying to lay an egg, she was active and happy. I know we had to get the egg out or it would have ended up killing her, but I can't help think if only he hadn't sedated her she'd still be with me. I don't really blame the vet, he tried to save her, and maybe he couldn't have done the procedure at all without the sedation, I don't know. I just wish I had known the danger and protested. But my sweet Ginger is gone now, she was a precious hand-raised Bantam Easter Egger only 7 months old, and I miss her.

I want to add for anyone wondering if this egg going around an egg thing is happening to their hen, don't get too worried with an occassional misshapen egg. They just happen sometimes. And sometimes if an egg stays in the shell gland a bit too long, it can also have a flat spot. But if you can feel an egg stuck in your hen and it's still there after she lays eggs with a flat spot on them (and she will have a hard time laying them), then you may want to get her checked out. If an egg is passing around a stuck egg, it takes a while, it takes a lot of contractions, and it's hard on the hen, so it should be pretty noticeable that something's not right.

Ace6175, I'm sorry this post got so long, I don't want to intrude on your thread. But thanks for asking about my hen. I've had a hard time with it, I still feel guilty. I want you to know I'm really pulling for Avril, and watching this thread for any new news. I'm anxious to know how she's doing. Hopefully she'll get the eggs all out, and be in the clear. Let us know.

 

[ace6175]

BWchicken, I'm so sorry to hear about what happened with Ginger. You really did everything you could for her, and if the vet hadn't tried the surgery, she might have suffered for a long time.
It's important for everyone on this site to know what potential complications you can run into with your chickens.
And Avril laid another egg in the cage this morning - it broke and she ate it! The shell looked round. I can still feel an egg, so she's going in the cage again tomorrow morning. Not having much luck getting her to eat the oatmeal with calcium supplements (probably why she ate the egg - tastier!).

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

I say no way, if it was me and I had the money and could afford it I would spend it!

 

[BWchicken]

Thanks ace6175. I'm trying to accept what happened without feeling so guilty and your kind words mean a lot.

I'm so glad Avril laid again, I think that's a good sign. I'll feel even better when she lays and you don't still feel an egg in her afterwards. Is she acting like her normal self again?For the calcium, if she likes yogurt (plain unflavored), it has calcium in it, and maybe you could mix a little extra calcium in too. Actually, you could try giving the calcium in any treat she will eat. I've used scrambled egg with success. I'm not sure how much calcium is too much, how much are you giving her? Are the shells getting better or are they still thin? Keep the updates coming!

 

[ace6175]

The latest update on Avril is: after 3 days of laying a thin-shelled egg, she has stopped laying again. I can still feel an egg in there. Have been bringing her into the cage every night, letting her free range during the day. Her crop wasn't full tonight when she roosted, so I put her in the cage a little earlier. She went into the nest box, but again no egg (sigh).
Not sure what to do now - last time I tried to intervene with a warm bath and physically pushing the egg out, it was useless. Even the vet couldn't get that egg out without surgery!
Any suggestions?
Thanks for everyone's help and interest.
BWchicken, thank you so much for sharing your story. I don't feel so much like a crazy chicken lady.
Here's a picture of Avril, it's a bad pic, she just won't stand still.

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

have you tried to give her any yogurt? when my ee has had egg binding issues i've done the bath. i also mix some yogurt with a little bit of water and antibiotics for her to eat. also giving her some mineral oil down the throat along with a little up her vent (using different droppers)