Help- egg bound hen who needs assistance!

[the fuller farm]

One of our black astrolorp hens is egg bound (I think). She is waddling like a penguin and her backside is bald and the size of a grapefruit. I've tried recommendations on this site. We gave her a warm bath last night for 30+ minutes and I lubed up a gloved finger and tried to feel the mass, but all I got was a lot of poop. She spent the night in a pet carrier resting in the dark. What next? I checked on her this morning and she is in the back of the carrier sleeping. I think I can feel two (or three) LARGE masses in her undercarriage. Help!

 

[snaphu]

I have the EXACT same problem with my young Australorpe!!!! I've crated her, and soaked her twice in epsom salts and warm water... I've just started her on antibiotics. I went to check on her last night, and she layed an egg!!! ???? I'm totally baffled as to what this condition is

but it sure is ugly

 

[heatherkh]

I lost an egg-bound Black Australorp earlier in the summer. Is an avian vet an option? The vet had much better luck removing the mass of congealed egg that was inside her, but she was so infected because of it the antibiotics ended up being not enough.

I hope you have better luck than I did!!

 

[snaphu]

Quote:
so the mass is "congealed eggs"???

 

[heatherkh]

If they are egg bound, yes. According to what my vet told me, the ovaries continue to release eggs into the blocked up uterus. The eggs that can't make it out will break and the body temp of the hen will "cook" the egg matter inside her, and eventually this will congealed egg matter will become infected. Sometimes they can still pass eggs/egg matter through even when they are bound.

I noticed something was up with my hen when she was acting just off (lethargic, wings down, ruffled feathers), and noticed what appeared to be egg white coming out of her vent. When I separated her, I noticed she passed a few shell-less eggs. I had no idea what those were! She had probably been passing them in the coop, but they were eaten either by her or the other hens. I was able to get some egg stuff out of her, but I knew that for me (a total newbie) - this was a job best left up to a professional. I got her into the vet within 48 hours of her acting funny, but by then it was too late.

But my hen didn't have that white spot/area on her rear end, or at least I didn't notice that. Her bum was bald when we adopted her - and the vet is pretty certain based on timing that she was already egg bound when we got her.

 

[Pele]

That looks pretty bad

I would try more baths after lubing her. You can try massaging her abdomen gently during the bath. Start from the breastbone and work back towards the tail. That will help the contents move towards the vent. I'd also start her on antibiotics from the feedstore ASAP. Swelling indicates infection... most likely from a broken egg.

I'll cross my fingers for her

 

[snaphu]

I'm sooo scared... I will soak and massage her tomorrow and keep you updated

 

[the fuller farm]

What we thought was egg binding was actually a fast growing tumor. She looked like she was sitting on a grapefruit and the mass wasn't bound eggs as we thought. The vet very quickly diagnosed her and told us it was bad news. We had to put her down. Sad. Thanks for all of your help and advice BYC.

 

[heatherkh]

I'm so sorry. The good thing is you were quick to act and she did not suffer.

When my hen was egg bound, there was no outwardly visible tumor like lump on her bum, but she just had a bare bum and was leaking egg matter from her vent.

 

[snaphu]

Quote:
wow! so sorry to hear the bad news