eggbound or not eggbound?

[PrettyCoolChicks]

3 days ago, she has a poopy butt again, I figured she's not dust bathing because of the rain (again!), but then she tried to sleep in a nesting box two nights in a row, so the second time I looked her over, and noticed her crop and abdomen were firm. I took her in the house to check that her crop emptied (and forgot to remove all food before bed, but it was definitely smaller in the morning).

I also noticed her lower abdomen is quite firm and swolen, checked the forums and ended up on the egg binding quick guide https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/quick-guide-to-treating-egg-binding.66043/

I think that fit the bill of early egg binding (dirty from diarhea, she still moves and eats but reduced apetite, she stands idle in a corner a bit fluffed up maybe). She still poops though, and I read elsewhere egg bound hens don't poop at all, so now i'm not sure of my diagnosis anymore and could use a second opinion - if anyone here recognizes the symptoms or thinks it's actually something else.

Anyway, so far, I started giving her tums (750mg calcium carbonate) half yesterday, whole today cause I finally figured out how to pop one in her mouth. She drank a half cup of water and ate half a scrambled egg each day (with a bit of milk, olive oil and poultry vitamin mix). I gave her daily epson salt bath and sprayed her vent with a bit of olive oil. For now, my plan is to continue with this and keep her comfortable.

I'm also counting eggs in the coop now that she's out of it to confirm if she was the hen that didn't resume laying after her winter break (only been getting 5 daily eggs from 6 hens), but I'm not 100% sure yet.

Do the baths need to be more frequent?
Is calcium carbonate ok or do I need to find calcium citrate somewhere somehow?
Anything else this could be, that I should rule out? and how?
First time dealing with this situation so I'd welcome any additional tips.

 

[Debbie292d]

She sure does look like she could be egg-bound, but you're right, usually they can't poop so all that comes out is liquid.

The Tums will work. One per day for a few days.

Otherwise, you can find the Calcium Citrate +D at any drug store or Walmart, and the same, one per day.

Has she ever been wormed? Mites can also take a chicken down too, but you'd have probably noticed them by now from the Epsom salt baths.

Probiotics would help if she's got digestive problems.

 

[RedHillChicken]

3 days ago, she has a poopy butt again, I figured she's not dust bathing because of the rain (again!), but then she tried to sleep in a nesting box two nights in a row, so the second time I looked her over, and noticed her crop and abdomen were firm. I took her in the house to check that her crop emptied (and forgot to remove all food before bed, but it was definitely smaller in the morning).

I also noticed her lower abdomen is quite firm and swolen, checked the forums and ended up on the egg binding quick guide https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/quick-guide-to-treating-egg-binding.66043/

I think that fit the bill of early egg binding (dirty from diarhea, she still moves and eats but reduced apetite, she stands idle in a corner a bit fluffed up maybe). She still poops though, and I read elsewhere egg bound hens don't poop at all, so now i'm not sure of my diagnosis anymore and could use a second opinion - if anyone here recognizes the symptoms or thinks it's actually something else.

Anyway, so far, I started giving her tums (750mg calcium carbonate) half yesterday, whole today cause I finally figured out how to pop one in her mouth. She drank a half cup of water and ate half a scrambled egg each day (with a bit of milk, olive oil and poultry vitamin mix). I gave her daily epson salt bath and sprayed her vent with a bit of olive oil. For now, my plan is to continue with this and keep her comfortable.

I'm also counting eggs in the coop now that she's out of it to confirm if she was the hen that didn't resume laying after her winter break (only been getting 5 daily eggs from 6 hens), but I'm not 100% sure yet.

Do the baths need to be more frequent?
Is calcium carbonate ok or do I need to find calcium citrate somewhere somehow?
Anything else this could be, that I should rule out? and how?
First time dealing with this situation so I'd welcome any additional tips.

By no means am I an expert, but have you seen any lash eggs? There is a reproductive tract disorder called salpingitis that has symptoms such as: lash eggs, legarthic, not eating, tail down, discolored comb (bluish color), yellow discharge, swollen belly. The picture shows some yellowish discharge in her poop, and her comb looks discolored. Please post more pics of her poop, her stomach, her comb, and keep us informed of her condition. Thanks!
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@coach723

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

I've not seen any lash eggs from my girls before (I've seen some photos on this forum). I did wonder if she could be egg-bound from a lash egg, but I can only be sure once it comes out.

This morning, her tail is horizontal rather than up, wings also a bit droopy. Her comb is red and looks healthy to me.

I did think to myself maybe her poop was yellow-er/light beige maybe from eating only scrambled eggs. I've attached a photo of what she pooped overnight (conveniently all in one splot).

Bottom one is as most were since I took her in, top pale one is a first - I was actually taking the photo before seeing this last message to ask about that. Not sure if only urates or white from the tums - like when dogs eat bones their poop gets whiter?

I don't think they have mites, both from bathing her and I butchered a rooster last weekend which had a clean bill of health, but I can take a closer look at the coop/roosts.

I've never dewormed my chicken until now.

I'll go get more photos of her.

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

I got a front / side / back view for posture.

Her comb has a pinprick pecking injury (small black dot at the tip above her eye) but other than that looks normal to me.

There's still a small amount of hard poop that didn't fully come off since the first bath, and some feathers are coated in olive oil by now.

Any thoughts?

 

[RedHillChicken]

I got a front / side / back view for posture.

Her comb has a pinprick pecking injury (small black dot at the tip above her eye) but other than that looks normal to me.

There's still a small amount of hard poop that didn't fully come off since the first bath, and some feathers are coated in olive oil by now.

Any thoughts?

I will be interested in hearing what the 3 experts I mentioned have to say. Are the pictures taken after a bath? Does she feel like she has swelling in the rear stomach area? Not having any yellowish discharge is good. Please keep us informed of any change in eating, poop, comb color, energy level.

 

[coach723]

How old is she? With a firm and bloated abdomen, it's more likely that this is a reproductive problem other than egg binding. Sometimes it's impossible to know what for sure until necropsy, symptoms can look very similar. A truly egg bound bird usually cannot poop and will usually die within 24-48 hours if there is no intervention or the egg doesn't pass. So she's past that. It could be internal laying, infection like salpingitis or a reproductive cancer. All of those are not uncommon. There are really not any good treatment options for any of those other than supportive care and keeping them comfortable. I leave mine with the flock until they are obviously unwell, go off food and water, isolate themselves, or get attacked by flockmates. When they are obviously unwell I euthanize rather than let them suffer. Some may live for quite a while, some may pass quickly. It's hard to predict, not knowing for sure the exact underlying issue. Crop stasis and slow crops are often a symptom as well as poopy butts. What is going on in the abdomen affects internal organs and digestion and can make it hard for them to push droppings out. With salpingitis, some birds will pass some lash material which gives a clue, but some birds never pass any, it just builds up inside. Sometimes, with vet care, imaging might show something to give a clue, but it's expensive, many don't have a vet that will see chickens, and it still may not show anything definite. And treatment options would still be pretty limited.

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

I will be interested in hearing what the 3 experts I mentioned have to say. Are the pictures taken after a bath? Does she feel like she has swelling in the rear stomach area? Not having any yellowish discharge is good. Please keep us informed of any change in eating, poop, comb color, energy level.

Her last bath was yesterday evening, these photos is how she was when i woke up.

Her entire lower abdomen seems full (like it fills my hand if i cup it) and it feels firm/somewhat hard to the touch (maybe firm like a hard boiled egg?).

The only other things i can feel is a ridge where her breast bones meet down the middle and a firm lump a bit below and in front of the right wing, about the size of a golf ball. Visually her crop looks empty to me or almost so, might be the gizzard i'm feeling? no idea.

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

How old is she? With a firm and bloated abdomen, it's more likely that this is a reproductive problem other than egg binding. Sometimes it's impossible to know what for sure until necropsy, symptoms can look very similar. A truly egg bound bird usually cannot poop and will usually die within 24-48 hours if there is no intervention or the egg doesn't pass. So she's past that. It could be internal laying, infection like salpingitis or a reproductive cancer. All of those are not uncommon. There are really not any good treatment options for any of those other than supportive care and keeping them comfortable. I leave mine with the flock until they are obviously unwell, go off food and water, isolate themselves, or get attacked by flockmates. When they are obviously unwell I euthanize rather than let them suffer. Some may live for quite a while, some may pass quickly. It's hard to predict, not knowing for sure the exact underlying issue. Crop stasis and slow crops are often a symptom as well as poopy butts. What is going on in the abdomen affects internal organs and digestion and can make it hard for them to push droppings out. With salpingitis, some birds will pass some lash material which gives a clue, but some birds never pass any, it just builds up inside. Sometimes, with vet care, imaging might show something to give a clue, but it's expensive, many don't have a vet that will see chickens, and it still may not show anything definite. And treatment options would still be pretty limited.

This is her second spring, she's about 2 and a half.

She's a white leghorn cross (dad is ameraucana x unknown). Very prolific layer even without any extra heat/light in winter so I wouldn't be surprised by a reproductive issue.

Vet access is limited (couple days per week only, requires taking time off work, not familiar with birds but willing to try and learn together, so I'd prefer to avoid the expense unless I'm fairly confident it will definitely help.)

 

[RedHillChicken]

This is her second spring, she's about 2 and a half.

She's a white leghorn cross (dad is ameraucana x unknown). Very prolific layer even without any extra heat/light in winter so I wouldn't be surprised by a reproductive issue.

Vet access is limited (couple days per week only, requires taking time off work, not familiar with birds but willing to try and learn together, so I'd prefer to avoid the expense unless I'm fairly confident it will definitely help.)

@coach723 has given you some very honest and fact filled information, I'm sorry for your hen, but some of us have gone through what you're experiencing, so we know the frustration. Please keep us up to date on her condition.