Heat lamp or no for hen with possible egg problem?

[Country4ever]

I have an 8 year old black australorp hen who has a somewhat swollen, firm abdomen. I brought her into the house today to let her sit in warm water. She seemed to enjoy it, but nothing came of it. I felt up her vent and couldn't feel anything. I used a blow dryer to dry her off, and put her back out in the coop, in a crate. I was afraid she wasn't dry enough, so I put a heat lamp on over one end of her crate. She seems to like it. We're in a cold snap for a few days............50's in the day, 40's at night.
I think she is comforted by the heat, but am I possibly stimulating her ovaries too much, which might lead to a worsening of whatever is going on?
Thanks.

 

[Judy]

I think it's kind of you to give her some extra warmth. It might be good if she can get away from it, though. Were the other birds bothering her, that made you put her in a crate?

You'll have to figure out where she really wants to be. I don't thing I'd worry about stimulating her ovaries, only what seems to make her most comfortable, which it certainly sounds like you are trying to do. Good for you, for helping however you can.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Are you worried about her being eggbound?

She isn't laying at 8 years old, is she?

I think it is sweet that she has a heat lamp.

That is the reason that I have read not to offer light is because the egglaying might be stimulated in an eggbound hen. But for one that doesn't lay anymore, I don't know of a reason.

 

[Country4ever]

Thanks ddawn and ChickensAreSweet,
Well, I'm not sure if she's laying or not. I thought she was, because I would find an egg in the nestbox after she had been sitting in there. But I'm wondering if it was someone else's egg.
All my girls are 8. I'm getting about 4-5 eggs a week. Most of them are blue-green from my 2 easter -eggers and I get an occasional brown one. I have 4 hens that might lay a brown egg.
The reason I put her in a crate was because she was acting very tired. When I checked her over, I found the firm, enlarged abdomen. No, no one was picking on her.....which sort of tells me she's not sick enough for them to notice........but I have seen her staying by herself. If I think a hen might be sick, I like to keep them in a crate, at least for a couple of days, so I can see their poop and how much they are eating. But I try to minimize that, because I know sometimes its hard to fit back in with the flock.
So....to answer your question.......I'm not sure if she's still occasionally laying or not.

Its funny......I don't think I got but a couple eggs all last year.........and now I'm getting about 4-5/week! Something revved them up again!
I've also discovered, if they're going to have ovary problems, it usually shows up in spring, when things get to working again. When you think about how much work their ovaries do, its not surprising that some of the equipment starts to malfunction!

She's such a sweetheart. I gave her a sitzbath this morning, blew her dry with the hair dryer, etc., etc., and she just sat their like a sweetheart, making her churring sounds.
Don't you just love them?!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Wow! I am amazed at how many eggs you are getting. She sounds like a sweetie.

Here is a good thread on eggbound hens. Do you know, I think I would try to keep her warm in the dark if you think she could be eggbound. Maybe a heating pad or hot water in a milk jug. Sorry I have no experience with it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=26414