Eggbound I think... please help!

[VictoriaTemple]

My Cochin girl Sunshine has a problem. I found her in the recycling bin (her favorite temporary laying spot) bearing down trying to lay after everyone else was in bed. I just saw an article on egg binding but naturally I can’t find it now! I have her in a warm bath and flushed some canola oil up her vent. She let me massage her and feel around inside up to my second knuckle, it felt swollen and egg-shaped but all muscle tissue, couldn’t find an eggshell. She is panting and seems in some distress, but not nearly as worried as me I guess. Anything else I can do for her? Please? This is my first egg laying issue ever!

 

[ashlierami]

My Cochin girl Sunshine has a problem. I found her in the recycling bin (her favorite temporary laying spot) bearing down trying to lay after everyone else was in bed. I just saw an article on egg binding but naturally I can’t find it now! I have her in a warm bath and flushed some canola oil up her vent. She let me massage her and feel around inside up to my second knuckle, it felt swollen and egg-shaped but all muscle tissue, couldn’t find an eggshell. She is panting and seems in some distress, but not nearly as worried as me I guess. Anything else I can do for her? Please? This is my first egg laying issue ever!

Give her some crushed tums this is emergency calcium and can kickstart contractions to expel the egg. On a regular basis daily she needs to be on layer feed or provided with oyster shell to free eat. If she won't eat the tums you could make tums water and make her drink that. Keep her in a quiet space with little to no light. Usuallly they pass it on their own in a few hours.

 

[VictoriaTemple]

She did pass it no problem. Thank you!

 

[ashlierami]

She did pass it no problem. Thank you!

I'm glad she did! It's scary when that happens but usually it passes. Make sure she's getting enough calcium in her daily diet.

 

[VictoriaTemple]

I will, thanks. It’s my soil, it’s terribly acidic and calcium deficient. My birds have eggshells and oyster shells all the time plus layer feed and grass when available. Only way to increase calcium any more would be supplements. Even my roosters eat the oyster shell, it helps neutralize the acid. Sunshine lays almost every day, unusual for a Cochin, and I guess she just ran a little short. The egg was small and very hard. She is still a pullet, hatched in March, so I guess she is still figuring things out. Thanks again!

 

[glassdragonfly]

That's great news!