First time with a sick hen, please help!

[cdampier]

I have a young ISA brown hen (little over a hear, I believe) who is sick and I need some advice from veteran chicken folks. I have just two hens, both ISA browns.

I've found 2 soft eggs in the coop in the last 10-12 days; one last week or possibly late two weeks ago and then again one on Wednesday. Since then, my girl Bette has been puffed up, and generally lethargic and her eyes just don't seem bright. Tonight she's on her outside perch, with her head pulled in and she's shaking her head, almost like a shiver. She is pooping and it looks normal, and she eats, although I'm not sure if she's eating as much as she usually does.

Is this an egg impaction or a calcium deficiency, possibly? Any thoughts out there?

I got Bette and Lucy about a month now; they were layers when I got them and have been good producers, almost 2 a day every day. Maybe I'm feeding something different and it's really messing with her? Any help or advice would be much appreciated!

 

[True Patriot]

Post a list of everything you give them. Feed,, treats and suppliments. Pics will help both chicken and poop. Try starting a vitamin and electrolyte, for now.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would get some human calcium tablets with vitamin D3, and give her one daily for several days, crushed into some cooked egg or other treat. Feel inside her vent up to 2 inches with one finger, for a stuck egg. Soft or shell-less eggs are very hard for them to pass. Some causes of egg binding are low calcium levels, too large of eggs, or dehydration, and shell-less eggs may be from low calcium or shell gland problems, and in some cases, infectious bronchitis in the past.

You might try her soaking in a warm shallow bath for 20 minutes to relax her enought to help her lay an egg. Egg laying disorders can happen with salpingitis and internal laying. Antibiotics may be helpful early if there is infection. Baytril is one that is banned for chickens in the US, but can be used to treat hens with reproductive disorders. It is not supposed to be used in egg layers. Do you have a vet that might look at her?