Help- could be egg bound, could be something else

[DeniseMace]

One year old comet, usually lays an egg a day, found her this morning laying in the run on her belly. Crest is pale instead of bright red, very lethargic, hard abdomen. It FEELS like there are several eggs in her belly, at least two possibly three masses. I've been soaking her in tubs of warm water for 20 minutes every few hours, have her in a hospital box in my office on a towel over a heating pad, covered so she'll hopefully lay.

Gave her 1500 mg calcium so far, plus an additional quarter cup of water by syringe so she rehydrates. Her coloring is improving slowly, but still no egg. I've put a Vaseline covered finger in her vent to see if I could feel the egg, and she pooped EVERYWHERE. Very grainy, yellowy, and whew, did it stink. She's done this twice now, over the last 8 hours, and gone to the bathroom on her own twice, which looked normal.

She doesn't want to walk, and when she stands she lists to the side. It feels like her breastbone is protruding very far forward.

Thoughts?

 

[Eggcessive]

She could be suffering from internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis. How recently has she laid an egg? EYP signs can be problems walking, preferring to sit, walking like a penguin, loss of weight in the breast area, sometimes swelling in the abdomen or fluid collecting, irregular or no laying, broken or shell-less eggs, runny droppings sometimes with yellow material. This can be common in high production hens. A vet can be usefull in helping to diagnose this, although not many things can help.

 

[DeniseMace]

She could be suffering from internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis. How recently has she laid an egg? EYP signs can be problems walking, preferring to sit, walking like a penguin, loss of weight in the breast area, sometimes swelling in the abdomen or fluid collecting, irregular or no laying, broken or shell-less eggs, runny droppings sometimes with yellow material. This can be common in high production hens. A vet can be usefull in helping to diagnose this, although not many things can help.

It was EYP. We put her down last night, she wasn't going to make it with antibiotics, and I didn't want to prolong her misery. She went down so fast, I never thought it could reduce a perfectly happy hen to death's door in only 48 hours. She was a great layer, but lots of double yolks and large eggs, so I'm not shocked that EYP happened. From what I've read, the high production breeds are prone to it.

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm sorry for your loss. This is a pretty common problem in good laying hens, but it is still hard to accept. It is good that she is not suffering.