Eggbound

[mmwellsfarm]

Best way to get a very large egg out. We've soaked, used mineral oil, tums, gentle massages, I've tried getting my pinky in there to try to help it out, but the m this egg is too large I think to get close enough. She startled and has cracked the shell. I wouldn't normally worry too much as she's acting fine but she's walking funny and squatting a lot. She's really trying to get this out. I can tell by the feel of it now. You can see the egg on the outside of her body. It's been 3 days now. Not sure what else to do. She's about to prolapse from an her pushing. Second picture is blurry (husband took pictures) but you can still see how large it is.

 

[Starrponies]

Awe poor baby. I'm still pretty new but as far as I know you have done everything right to help her! Your a good birdy mamma.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Awe poor baby. I'm still pretty new but as far as I know you have done everything right to help her! Your a good birdy mamma.

Thanks, I'm hoping she can get it out. I was trying to get my finger on it get good enough to break it and pull it out at this point but I can't get a grip on it since it so far down and too big. They are so tiny and she tightens up and I can only use my pinky which is so much harder to grip with.

 

[Nabiki]

Be very careful with a broken egg. The shell can cut her and cause further injury. It sounds like you've tried all of the usual things. At this point, it is very important to get the egg out. Is a vet an option at this point? If she can't get the egg out, she will die.

 

[tlcmurphy]

If you’re not already doing so, start giving her calcium daily.
@Wyorp Rock @azygous

 

[Nabiki]

Some calcium citrate might help. That will get the calcium into her system quickly.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Be very careful with a broken egg. The shell can cut her and cause further injury. It sounds like you've tried all of the usual things. At this point, it is very important to get the egg out. Is a vet an option at this point? If she can't get the egg out, she will die.

I don't have the funds for that at the moment. Everything is going summer camps and fixing vehicles. The shell is already cracked so there's a chance she'll break it on her own also, especially if she jumps on something. It can be seen and felt easily on the outside of her body so if she hits anything it will break.

 

[azygous]

Be aware, if you aren't already, your hen is in crisis and could die. The longer this goes on, the harder it will be to resolve. A few things done now could make a difference.

I would give calcium citrate instead of Tums as it is a form of calcium that is easy to absorb so it works very quickly. Give one whole tablet right now directly into her beak.

Next, she needs to be in a dim quiet place to reduce her stress as much as possible. I use a pet crate with a few absorbent towels for her to lie on. Drinking water with a little sugar in it will help her glucose and prevent dehydration as fluid loss is a big risk.

Next, use Preparation H or hydrocortisone cream around the vent tissue to reduce swelling. I cleanse with Witch Hazel every hour and reapply the cream.

The calcium citrate will help encourage strong contractions. You may be able to take a slender oral syringe filled with warm water with a few drops of Dawn detergent to make it very slippery and poke it just under the inside rim of the vent. It might be just enough for the egg to slither out with the right contraction.

If the egg breaks, it complicates matters. As was pointed out, a broken shell can cut the inner tissue and cause infection, and yolk can feed the bacteria and set up conditions for a chronic infection that your hen would then have to cope with for the remainder of her life. Try to avoid it.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Be aware, if you aren't already, your hen is in crisis and could die. The longer this goes on, the harder it will be to resolve. A few things done now could make a difference.

I would give calcium citrate instead of Tums as it is a form of calcium that is easy to absorb so it works very quickly. Give one whole tablet right now directly into her beak. View attachment 3851105Next, she needs to be in a dim quiet place to reduce her stress as much as possible. I use a pet crate with a few absorbent towels for her to lie on. Drinking water with a little sugar in it will help her glucose and prevent dehydration as fluid loss is a big risk.

Next, use Preparation H or hydrocortisone cream around the vent tissue to reduce swelling. I cleanse with Witch Hazel every hour and reapply the cream.

The calcium citrate will help encourage strong contractions. You may be able to take a slender oral syringe filled with warm water with a few drops of Dawn detergent to make it very slippery and poke it just under the inside rim of the vent. It might be just enough for the egg to slither out with the right contraction.

If the egg breaks, it complicates matters. As was pointed out, a broken shell can cut the inner tissue and cause infection, and yolk can feed the bacteria and set up conditions for a chronic infection that your hen would then have to cope with for the remainder of her life. Try to avoid it.

Thank you. I'll try that. She is already in a crate but with a button quail as I didn't have place to put the button quail at the moment. My kids being home for the summer complicate the quiet part when having to work on her frequently. Hopefully I can get my husband to take them away today while I work on her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've tried getting my pinky in there to try to help it out, but the m this egg is too large I think to get close enough. She startled and has cracked the shell. I wouldn't normally worry too much as she's acting fine but she's walking funny and squatting a lot. She's really trying to get this out. I can tell by the feel of it now. You can see the egg on the outside of her body. It's been 3 days now. Not sure what else to do. She's about to prolapse from an her pushing.

I'm hoping she can get it out. I was trying to get my finger on it get good enough to break it and pull it out at this point but I can't get a grip on it since it so far down and too big.

The shell is already cracked so there's a chance she'll break it on her own

It can be seen and felt easily on the outside of her body so if she hits anything it will break.

You are feeling the egg where? In the abdomen?
How do you know it's cracked?

Wow...a Button Quail, incredibly small!
I would give her the Extra Calcium as suggested. For a Button, I'd give 1/2 tablet Calcium Citrate with D3, the extra calcium can help with contractions and is quick uptake.

Is she able to poop? It's been 3 days.

Possible the egg you feel is in the abdomen instead of in the reproductive tract. IF it's in the abdomen, you will not be able to retrieve the egg.

I would be extremely careful trying to feel inside the vent since she's so small. I'd worry about damaging the vent.
IF the egg is indeed in the reproductive tract and is broken, she's going to have a hard time pushing it out, hopefully it will become visible so you can get a hold of it and pull it on out, time contractions for pulling when she pushes.

If the egg comes out intact (no leaking of yolk/abdomen) that would be good. If it's broken and leaking, then I'd consider giving her an antibiotic like Amoxicillin to help prevent infection. Leaking egg fosters bacterial infection.

I had a Coturnix prolapse last month, IF your button prolapses, keep the tissue moist with ointment, oil or honey. For mine, I used Prep H because that's what I had on hand. Soaking can sometimes help - depends on how stressed your Quail is. I don't handle mine, but she was agreeable to a room temp/cool(ish) soak/cleansing in an epsom salts bath, it was very hot here during that time, so I think cooler water felt good to her. Regardless, any exposed or prolapsed tissue keep it moist with your ointment. For my little one, the prolapse took about 3 days to resolve but she was not trying to expel and egg nor did she have a stuck egg. I kept her on extra Calcium for a week.

Do the best you can. If she's pooping/able to poop, that's good, but it also sounds like she's in some distress.
Sadly, with Quail (and chickens) sometimes the bird doesn't make it, but keep trying and see how it goes.

I really hope this turns out o.k.




Quail reproductive (and whole system) is like a chicken Hen's. Just on a smaller scale.