Help! Egg bound or worse??

[Temere]

I found my hen in the nest box today falling asleep while squatting. This is strange to me because 1) she was falling asleep standing up and 2) I already got all my eggs accounted for today (although one might’ve been laid last night?). Not sure if she’s egg bound for a few days and the 4th one today was from yesterday or if it’s cocci/Marek’s and she’s just trying to hide in the nest box from her sisters. I noticed she had a stream of white poo on her bottom so I cleaned her up and gave her a soak in an epsom salt bath. She LOVED it until something spooked her 5-10 minutes in and she got a second wind. After becoming energized, she immediately went to the waterer, drank, and even joined her sisters in the run for a bit. She was standing a bit scrunched up outside and the others were lightly pecking at her bottom so she jumped (struggling a bit) back into the coop and has been in the nest box since. We do not have a vet in the area although I do have some probiotics, ointments, ACV, hemp oils, epsom salts (as stated), sourdough starter, and medicated chick feed on hand. I doubt any of those would help, but if there’s something I can whip up at home, that would be her best shot. Thank you in advanced!

 

[alinas2010]

I found my hen in the nest box today falling asleep while squatting. This is strange to me because 1) she was falling asleep standing up and 2) I already got all my eggs accounted for today (although one might’ve been laid last night?). Not sure if she’s egg bound for a few days and the 4th one today was from yesterday or if it’s cocci/Marek’s and she’s just trying to hide in the nest box from her sisters. I noticed she had a stream of white poo on her bottom so I cleaned her up and gave her a soak in an epsom salt bath. She LOVED it until something spooked her 5-10 minutes in and she got a second wind. After becoming energized, she immediately went to the waterer, drank, and even joined her sisters in the run for a bit. She was standing a bit scrunched up outside and the others were lightly pecking at her bottom so she jumped (struggling a bit) back into the coop and has been in the nest box since. We do not have a vet in the area although I do have some probiotics, ointments, ACV, hemp oils, epsom salts (as stated), sourdough starter, and medicated chick feed on hand. I doubt any of those would help, but if there’s something I can whip up at home, that would be her best shot. Thank you in advanced!View attachment 4130697

Hello sorry your hen isn’t feeling well. How old is she? Electrolytes may be a good start if you have any on hand. The first things that come to my mind are egg binding or crop issues when I see behavior you’re describing.

Have you checked her crop? How does it feel first thing in the morning? It should be flat. It is also possible she is egg bound. Even if she isn’t, It won’t hurt to treat her for it by giving her 400-600mg of human vitamin calcium citrate plus d3. Pull her wattles down (gently) and pop the pill in her mouth whole and she will swallow it once you let her wattles go.

 

[Temere]

Hello sorry your hen isn’t feeling well. How old is she? Electrolytes may be a good start if you have any on hand. The first things that come to my mind are egg binding or crop issues when I see behavior you’re describing.

Have you checked her crop? How does it feel first thing in the morning? It should be flat. It is also possible she is egg bound. Even if she isn’t, It won’t hurt to treat her for it by giving her 400-600mg of human vitamin calcium citrate plus d3. Pull her wattles down (gently) and pop the pill in her mouth whole and she will swallow it once you let her wattles go.

Thank you for the reply! We believe she is around 2 years old(we inherited them a few months ago so we are unsure exactly).
I just checked her crop and it felt empty/I was not able to feel anything there. I did not see her eating in the last few hours so that seems right. I put some crumble in front of her and she happily gobbled it up. She’s gone for water twice since I noticed the behavior. She is still in the crate and not roosting with the other girls though.
I did notice one egg seemed brittle and pale today so I threw some more oyster shells in the run for them. I will try a calcium citrate boost for her in the morning and update. Thank you for wattle trick as well!

 

[alinas2010]

Thank you for the reply! We believe she is around 2 years old(we inherited them a few months ago so we are unsure exactly).
I just checked her crop and it felt empty/I was not able to feel anything there. I did not see her eating in the last few hours so that seems right. I put some crumble in front of her and she happily gobbled it up. She’s gone for water twice since I noticed the behavior. She is still in the crate and not roosting with the other girls though.
I did notice one egg seemed brittle and pale today so I threw some more oyster shells in the run for them. I will try a calcium citrate boost for her in the morning and update. Thank you for wattle trick as well!

No problem. I hope she starts to feel better. Keep us updated.

 

[Temere]

Update: ok chicken friends I checked on the girls this morning and I am officially confused. I went into the coop and there was no egg, but my hen looked fine. She even had a little dust bath with the other girls.

Last night I had given her a handful of medicated chick feed (Amprolium) because we had been letting them free range for the first time since getting them and thought maybe they had been over-exposed to new cocci strains. I also put 5ml of some homemade pH balancing concoction on it just in case she was dealing with sour crop (even though her crop felt normal, the kids were throwing some longer dandelion leaves in the run earlier this week). They were some quick remedies I could provide before bed for some peace of mind at least.

She gobbled up the chick feed and this morning the other girls were even trying to grab at the leftover snippets of it (not sure if it’s the medication they’re after or something else). Their regular layer feed is fresh so I don’t think it’s a quality issue.

Rhoda (the hen in question) ran out into the run with the rest of them where I offered oyster shell, spinach, and watermelon. She immediately went after the watermelon despite it having the least amount of calcium of the three. After a few minutes she had some white and yellowish/brownish diarrhea and was then acting a bit lethargic and went to the corner of the run. I scooped her up and tried another epsom salt bath but she was NOT having it and fought me the whole time. I then gave her 1/4 of a tums (thanks again for the wattle trick, worked like a charm), cleaned up her bottom again, and let her back in the coop. She went back to look for more medicated feed in the crate and not seeing anything ran back out to the run.

An hour later she was fine again and even roosting in the run on some branches. Run it, but watch it?

 

[alinas2010]

I’m going to tag some experts for advice. Has she been dewormed ever? I suppose it could be coccidiosis since she is newer to your flock. Did she come from a neighbor? Let’s see what they have to say @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @azygous

 

[Temere]

Thank you! Not sure about previous deworming, but I doubt it. Long story short, they all came from a company in a neighboring town that was done using them as test subjects for a coop design.
I regularly use ACV, garlic, and cayenne pepper in their food and water along with seasonal things (pumpkin seeds, carrots) for natural remedies, although I haven’t been keeping up with that as much since free ranging them. I put ACV in the water this morning to see if that helps.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I then gave her 1/4 of a tums (thanks again for the wattle trick, worked like a charm),

If you're going to give TUMS, give a whole one.

I'd give her 1 Calcium Citrate+D3 tablet once daily for a week, see if she's able to expel any material or egg.

Medicated chick starter is fine to give, it doesn't have a therapeutic dose of Amprolium in it, so if you are wanting to treat for Coccidiosis, get some Corid and treat her.

Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid Dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.
Do not add any extra vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) to food or water during the course of treatment.


For deworming, use an anthelmintic or get a fecal float to determine if deworming is necessary.
To treat most worms that poultry can have except for Tapeworm you can use Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer or Equine Paste (Fenbendazole) or Valbazen (Albendazole). Both are given orally by weight; they do not mix well with water.

Safeguard dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.
---OR---
Valbazen dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days

Here's how to give oral medications:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Temere]

If you're going to give TUMS, give a whole one.

I'd give her 1 Calcium Citrate+D3 tablet once daily for a week, see if she's able to expel any material or egg.

Medicated chick starter is fine to give, it doesn't have a therapeutic dose of Amprolium in it, so if you are wanting to treat for Coccidiosis, get some Corid and treat her.

Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid Dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.
Do not add any extra vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) to food or water during the course of treatment.


For deworming, use an anthelmintic or get a fecal float to determine if deworming is necessary.
To treat most worms that poultry can have except for Tapeworm you can use Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer or Equine Paste (Fenbendazole) or Valbazen (Albendazole). Both are given orally by weight; they do not mix well with water.

Safeguard dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.

---OR---
Valbazen dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days

Here's how to give oral medications:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

Ok.
I just checked the local feed store and all they had was equine dewormer. The only medications they had for fowl was Vetericyn. We live pretty rural so chickens are mostly seen as easily discarded and replaced.
Any thoughts on which problem it likely was? I’d prefer to special order one thing that will work instead of several that may or may not be needed.
For future, could I use the equine safe guard in a minuscule dose or is that too risky with the huge size difference? Are there human or dog medications I could swap out?

 

[Temere]

Update update: she laid an egg yesterday that was pretty normal looking (slightly paler than the others, but not as pale or brittle as the first one I saw). She was roosting with the others when I got home last night and this morning she was peppy and running around with the girls again. Still not exactly sure what was going on, but I’ll keep an eye on her.