Getting egg-bound chicken to take calcium citrate pill

[go-qoli-gwej]

I have a hen I believe is egg bound and I'm attempting to treat her for it. I'm having a lot of trouble getting her to take the calcium citrate pill, it's pretty big and she is very reluctant to let me get it into her beak. She's pretty weak and I don't want to risk hurting her by forcing it. Can I crush the pill up and put it with a treat? Will that affect it's absorption or efficacy?

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

yes, try crushing and mixing with egg yolk.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a hen I believe is egg bound and I'm attempting to treat her for it. I'm having a lot of trouble getting her to take the calcium citrate pill, it's pretty big and she is very reluctant to let me get it into her beak. She's pretty weak and I don't want to risk hurting her by forcing it. Can I crush the pill up and put it with a treat? Will that affect it's absorption or efficacy?

Yes, you can half or crush the tablet if necessary or dissolve it in a small amount of water and syringe it into her.

Mixing with a little coconut oil or food can be done too if she's eating.

To pop a pill or tablet into the beak, hold the head, pull down on the wattles to open the beak, put the tablet into the beak and let go of the wattles, let her swallow.

If she's egg bound or struggling with a soft shelled egg it's very important to get the Calcium into her to see if that will help with contractions so she can expel the egg or material.

Encourage her drink. Sugar water or electrolytes would be good. Hydration is another important part of the process. To make sugar water, mix 1tsp sugar to 1 cup water.

If she's lethargic, don't soak her in water or a bath, this can be stressful. You can however, place her in a steamed up bathroom or provide her with a heating pad (covered with a thick towel or similar) to see if that helps.

Is she able to poop at all?

 

[go-qoli-gwej]

Yes, you can half or crush the tablet if necessary or dissolve it in a small amount of water and syringe it into her.

Mixing with a little coconut oil or food can be done too if she's eating.

To pop a pill or tablet into the beak, hold the head, pull down on the wattles to open the beak, put the tablet into the beak and let go of the wattles, let her swallow.

If she's egg bound or struggling with a soft shelled egg it's very important to get the Calcium into her to see if that will help with contractions so she can expel the egg or material.

Encourage her drink. Sugar water or electrolytes would be good. Hydration is another important part of the process. To make sugar water, mix 1tsp sugar to 1 cup water.

If she's lethargic, don't soak her in water or a bath, this can be stressful. You can however, place her in a steamed up bathroom or provide her with a heating pad (covered with a thick towel or similar) to see if that helps.

Is she able to poop at all?

She is pooping, yesterday was very watery and unhealthy looking but this morning was more normal. I don't plan on soaking her as she is already stressed and weak. She is on a heating pad currently. I am going to mix the crushed tablet with a treat for her.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If you don't have a helper, try wrapping her in a towel to control her wings. Then hold her under one arm like a football. With the same hand, pull down gently but firmly on her wattles to open her beak and use the other hand to pop the tablet in. It may look big but remember a chicken can easily swallow a mouse whole. It doesn't go down that little straw-sized hole at the back of the throat, that's her windpipe.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Here's what I do, it works every time:
Take some of your flock's regular food (pellets or crumbles, it doesn't matter which) and mash it with very warm water. Put one bite's worth in a bowl and mix it with a calcium tablet (or even more than one). Offer it to her in whichever way works best...in the bowl, on your hand, on the floor, etc.

When egg bound, my hens always take one bite of mash and then lose their appetite, so it's important to get one or more calcium tablets in that one bite. (I do this with other medications as well.) You might want to add some honey, egg yolk, or electrolytes to give her an energy boost if she's not eating or drinking.

Good luck!

 

[go-qoli-gwej]

I am less confident as the day goes on that egg-binding is the issue. I have noticed her toes starting to curl under her. I am wondering now if it's a riboflavin deficiency that I'm seeing.
Does anyone know if there would be an issue with giving her both vitamin B complex and calcium citrate+D3? Or a vitamin/amino acid supplement? I'm unsure if treating for both things is the right course of action or if it's possible to overdo it with vitamin supplements.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I am less confident as the day goes on that egg-binding is the issue. I have noticed her toes starting to curl under her. I am wondering now if it's a riboflavin deficiency that I'm seeing.
Does anyone know if there would be an issue with giving her both vitamin B complex and calcium citrate+D3? Or a vitamin/amino acid supplement? I'm unsure if treating for both things is the right course of action or if it's possible to overdo it with vitamin supplements.

There's no issue giving her the Calcium and B-Complex.

Curling of the toes when they are in crisis can be somewhat common, it sounds like she's shutting down. I'd get the calcium into her asap and start giving her sips of sugar water to see if you can get her glucose levels back up.

What's her poop like?

 

[go-qoli-gwej]

There's no issue giving her the Calcium and B-Complex.

Curling of the toes when they are in crisis can be somewhat common, it sounds like she's shutting down. I'd get the calcium into her asap and start giving her sips of sugar water to see if you can get her glucose levels back up.

What's her poop like?

She is eating loads and took the vitamins easily but her strength seems to be deteriorating so quickly. Yesterday her droppings were very runny and had reddish mucus in them, but overnight she left some very normal and healthy looking droppings. I haven't seen one from her yet today.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She is eating loads and took the vitamins easily but her strength seems to be deteriorating so quickly. Yesterday her droppings were very runny and had reddish mucus in them, but overnight she left some very normal and healthy looking droppings. I haven't seen one from her yet today.

Reddish mucous, did you get a photo of that?

Do you have any antibiotics on hand?