Help - 7 month old hen suddenly very lethargic, laid shell-less egg

[ChanP]

Perhaps add some vitamins to the water to make sure? Also, one thing chickens love is egg and tuna omelette. With egg shells in it it will be full of nutrients.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I usually leave mine with their flock unless they are getting picked at. I just pull them out for a few minutes to give meds or some TLC. Imho, they do much better when they can stay with their flockmates.

The poop is a bit watery and does look to have some albumen (whites). I'd see how she does, but I'd be inclined to consider giving her an antibiotic to help stave off infection if she did indeed have a membrane rupture before in the shell gland or oviduct.

 

[Serotonin]

I usually leave mine with their flock unless they are getting picked at. I just pull them out for a few minutes to give meds or some TLC. Imho, they do much better when they can stay with their flockmates.

The poop is a bit watery and does look to have some albumen (whites). I'd see how she does, but I'd be inclined to consider giving her an antibiotic to help stave off infection if she did indeed have a membrane rupture before in the shell gland or oviduct.

Do you have an antibiotic you'd recommend?

I am in California, which I know complicates matters as most (all?) antibiotics are locked behind a vet prescription. I don't currently have a chicken vet (thankfully haven't needed one yet), but I'll try to get her an appointment with one if you think it would help and be worth the stress.

 

[Serotonin]

Perhaps add some vitamins to the water to make sure? Also, one thing chickens love is egg and tuna omelette. With egg shells in it it will be full of nutrients.

I don't have any tuna, but I do have vitamins/electrolytes in the water and did feed her some egg with TUMS.

 

[coach723]

You can get amoxicillin as a fish antibiotic without a prescription online. It's usually called Fish Mox or Aqua Mox. There are many sources, so look for the best price, and that they will ship to your location. Some people have unused amoxicillin in their medicine cabinets and you can use that too if you have any. It's given orally and usually well tolerated. Usual dose is 57 mg per pound of bird weight 2X a day, for 5 days. You can empty capsules and mix with some softened coconut oil and then freeze the doses, that usually goes down easy, or you can mix it in a small bit of moistened feed or other moist food (so the medication sticks) and feed it that way, if she'll eat it. Just important to make sure she gets the whole dose.

 

[ChanP]

I don't have any tuna, but I do have vitamins/electrolytes in the water and did feed her some egg with TUMS.

Wish you the best of luck. Just do your best.

 

[Serotonin]

You can get amoxicillin as a fish antibiotic without a prescription online. It's usually called Fish Mox or Aqua Mox. There are many sources, so look for the best price, and that they will ship to your location. Some people have unused amoxicillin in their medicine cabinets and you can use that too if you have any. It's given orally and usually well tolerated. Usual dose is 57 mg per pound of bird weight 2X a day, for 5 days. You can empty capsules and mix with some softened coconut oil and then freeze the doses, that usually goes down easy, or you can mix it in a small bit of moistened feed or other moist food (so the medication sticks) and feed it that way, if she'll eat it. Just important to make sure she gets the whole dose.

Oh, that's good to know, thanks! I'll order some. Is there an egg withdrawal period for that?

Wish you the best of luck. Just do your best.

Thank you! I just hate to see her feeling lousy.

 

[Serotonin]

Just an update. When I went to check on her around noon, she seemed very much herself. She greeted me at the gate, flew up onto my shoulder, followed me around, ate grass, etc. I didn't see any sign of an egg though.

But when I went to check on her just now before bed, she seemed a bit lethargic and in pain. I noticed that she had some poop sticking out of her butt that she seemed to have trouble passing. I gently pulled it out and almost immediately after she passed what looked like an egg membrane. I've attached a picture of it to this post. She "laid" just a yolk and some albumen last night, do you think this is the membrane of that one and the egg burst inside her? Or do you think this is a new one? Does this raise any new red flags? I worry she might have egg shell pieces or egg liquid inside her and what that might do to her.

After she passed the membrane, she did seem to perk back up and started eating and foraging again. I hope she's through the worst of it.

 

[coach723]

It was probably the membrane from what she passed before, it's good that she was able to expel it. When there is not a full, hard egg to push on, the muscles don't have anything to push against, it makes it hard for them to pass those, and can make them feel pretty bad. If she stays perky then you might hold off on the antibiotic, but maybe have on hand just in case. If she seems off or sick, then consider starting that. I would give her calcium for a couple more days, see if you get a normal egg. Hopefully just a glitch, time will tell.

 

[Kiki]

Just an update. When I went to check on her around noon, she seemed very much herself. She greeted me at the gate, flew up onto my shoulder, followed me around, ate grass, etc. I didn't see any sign of an egg though.

But when I went to check on her just now before bed, she seemed a bit lethargic and in pain. I noticed that she had some poop sticking out of her butt that she seemed to have trouble passing. I gently pulled it out and almost immediately after she passed what looked like an egg membrane. I've attached a picture of it to this post. She "laid" just a yolk and some albumen last night, do you think this is the membrane of that one and the egg burst inside her? Or do you think this is a new one? Does this raise any new red flags? I worry she might have egg shell pieces or egg liquid inside her and what that might do to her.

After she passed the membrane, she did seem to perk back up and started eating and foraging again. I hope she's through the worst of it.

I skimmed and noticed your mention of scratch. Becareful with daily treats.
I highly recommend you stop giving scratch as it takes away form them getting a balanced diet which causes probelms and it is one thing you have complete control over/are able to prevent.