HELP - PEAHEN ON FLOOR OF COOP SICK

[DylansMom]

Egg bound hens will seem paralyzed and seem completely alert yet not be able to move. Do you have vitamin E capsules? If so break them open and squeeze the liquid out of them. It normally takes about 8-10 capsules and then suck the vitamin E into a syringe that has a tube attached then shove the tube down her throat and squeeze the liquid out. She should,,,SHOULD pass the softshell egg in about 6 hours. I've had this happen last year on two hens of my own. One was a young 2 year old and the other was a 4 year old who never gave me trouble the year previous. In both cases once they laid the egg they were fine and it only took a few hours,,hope this is what's wrong and it helps your hen

Should she be able to feel it if it is a stuck egg? She said she did an internal and couldn't feel anything?

 

[autumnmfisher]

well how deep would you have to go to feel anything? I'd say I went about 2 inches in?

we just checked on her. she moved to the opposite corner of the coop, away from the lamp.
she still seems alert and a little better than earlier/didn't seem "sick", still won't get up tho.

I refelt her chest and comparied with another pea, they seemed the same. it sticks out a little bit but not horribly.
Will recheck in another hour or so.

Thanks everyone for all your help, doing everything you all said. scrambled eggs, vitamin e. somethings gotta work

 

[frenchblackcopper]

You need to feel the actual meaty areas on each side of the breast bone. If they are shrunk in theres a good possibility she has internal parasites wearing her down but she would be lathargic if she was in such poor condition she cannot walk if caused by worms,ect. Hens that are egg bound will not be able to get around almost as if paralyzed and since you says she's alert and has energy I'm still guessing she is egg bound. Peahens who get internal parasites and worms show little signs they have them until they cannot or will not be able to fly on a perch. Then when you inspect them, you will tell they are really thin and the breast meat is the first and easiest place to tell. If her breasts are equal with her breastbone in the center of her chest that is the way they should be and feel.
If you lift the hen up so she can stand does she immediatly lay back down again? Or if she does stand she weebles and wobbles as if she has no balance control? If so she is egg bound and although she may pass the egg, again she may not and end up dying first. Put her inside a small pen such as a large dog crate and make sure she has water to drink after all the things thats been dumped down her throat.

 

[casportpony]

Have you checked her toes and feet for signs of frostbite? At age two, she should weigh at least 3kg, so I'd get a baseline weight on her.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

well how deep would you have to go to feel anything? I'd say I went about 2 inches in?

we just checked on her. she moved to the opposite corner of the coop, away from the lamp.
she still seems alert and a little better than earlier/didn't seem "sick", still won't get up tho.

I refelt her chest and comparied with another pea, they seemed the same. it sticks out a little bit but not horribly.
Will recheck in another hour or so.

Thanks everyone for all your help, doing everything you all said. scrambled eggs, vitamin e. somethings gotta work

*If* she is egg bound, E and Calcium might help her pass the egg. FYI, a hen can be egg bound for many months and still be alive. This "they'd be dead in 48 hours" thing I keep reading IS_NOT_TRUE, but if she has been egg bound for longer than a few days you need to see a vet, ASAP!


Here is some info on egg binding and treatments:

Source:
How is egg binding treated?

Treatment varies with how sick the bird is when presented to your veterinarian, as well as the location of the egg and the length of time the bird has been egg bound. Critically ill birds are first treated for shock and then attempts are made to treat the egg binding. Mildly affected birds may respond to supplemental heat, re-hydration with injectable fluids, calcium, vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin D-3. Other injectable drugs may help cause the oviduct to contract and expel the egg. If the egg is near the cloacal opening, it might be gently extracted. Eggs that do not pass with drug therapy require treatment that is more aggressive. A needle may need to be placed through the abdomen into the eggshell to aspirate the contents of the egg, causing the shell to collapse. Following this treatment, the empty shell will usually pass out of the bird within a few days. Failing this, surgery may be performed to remove the egg or shell fragments.

"Critically ill birds are first treated for shock and then attempts are made to treat the egg binding."


Source: http://www.birdvet.com.au/exotics care/birdcare/EGG BINDING.htm

6. How is egg binding treated?

• Treatment varies with how sick the bird is when presented to the veterinarian as well as the location of the egg and the length of time the bird has been egg bound.

• Critically ill birds are first treated for shock and then attempts are made to treat the egg binding.

• Mildly affected birds may respond to supplemental heat, calcium, vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin D-3.

• Other injectable drugs may help cause the oviduct to contract and expel the egg.

• If the egg is near the cloacal opening, the veterinarian may be able to gently extract it.
• Eggs that do not pass with drug therapy require more aggressive treatment. The veterinarian may need to place a needle through the abdomen into the egg shell and aspirate the contents of the egg, causing the shell to collapse. The shell will usually pass out of the bird within a few days. Failing this, surgery may be performed to remove the egg or shell fragments.

Source: http://www.avianweb.com/eggbinding.html
Egg Binding

Breeding Challenges


Egg binding refers to a common and potentially serious condition where a female bird is unable to pass an egg that may be stuck near the cloaca, or further inside the reproductive tract. Even though egg binding can occur in any female bird, it is most common in smaller birds such as lovebirds, cockatiels, budgies and finches.
The potential of an egg breaking inside the tract is high, which then can result in an infection or damage to internal tissue; and - if left untreated - death.
The bound egg may be gently massaged out; failing this it may become necessary for a vet to break the egg inside and remove it in parts. If broken, the oviduct should be cleaned of shell fragments and egg residue to avoid damage or infection.

Suspected causes for egg binding include:

• Low Calcium Levels or Hypocalcaemia Syndrome associated with low calcium levels in the blood. Supplementing the breeding hen with a diet rich in calcium and Vitamin D is an important factor in preventing this problem
  • You could provide a dish filled with crushed egg shell (from boiled eggs to kill any bacteria) and/or attach a calcium / mineral block to the cage.
  • In areas where access to natural sunlight is limited (such as in the northern hemisphere during the winter months), full-spectrum lamps can be used to provide UVA and UVB rays.Natural food sources rich in Vitamin DPotentially discuss supplementation with your vet. Supplementation needs to be carefully screen ed and supervised by a vet since an excess of vitamin D (in the form of a supplement) causes kidney damage and retards growth.
  • Relevant Article: Natural Calcium for Birds - Sources and Absorbability
• Malnutrition caused by seed-only or low-protein diets. Recommendations for bird diet / bird nutrition.
  
• Sedentary lifestyle: Often the case when birds are kept in enclosures / cages that are too small for them. The lack of exercise causes poorly developed muscles and obesity.
  
• At particular risk are sick and old birds.
  
• Pet birds can also develop this problem, as birds don't need a mate to lay eggs. (Obviously, solitary egg-laying females won't produce fertile eggs.)

Also refer to Chronic Egg Laying and Thin-shelled, soft-shelled, no-shell, porous, misshaped / deformed eggs

Clinical Signs:
Loss of appetite, depression, abdominal straining, and sitting fluffed on the bottom of the cage. Some hens may pass large wet droppings while others may not pass any droppings due to the egg's interfering with normal defecation.

If you suspect that your bird is egg-bound, she should be seen by a vet immediately. The veterinarian may be able to feel the egg in the bird's abdomen. An x-ray may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Sometimes medical treatment will enable the hen to pass her egg. Occasionally surgery is necessary.
Complications from being egg bound can be swelling, bleeding or prolapse of the oviduct.

Treatment:
If in doubt as to if the hen is egg bound or not, a few vet sites recommend separation, warmth, warm bath and calcium to all hens in lay that seem distressed.
This is a life-threatening condition and should be addressed by a qualified avian vet. Your vet may discuss:

• Calcium shots - immediate solution to help the egg shell harden allowing the hen to hopefully pass it
• Lupron shots to stop hens from going into breeding condition
• Spaying your hen as a permanent solution

The following are samples of actions that have resolved this problem for some birds (please note: not all hens can be saved, especially if it's critical by the time the problem was discovered and no vet is available or can be reached in time). Egg-bound hens go into profound cardiovascular collapse and may not be able to put in the effort to push the egg out without intervention.

• Suspected egg binding: Keep her in a warm area. Provide supportive care.

• Place the bird into a steamy room, such as bathroom with shower on until the bathroom mirrors and windows steam up. Desired temperature: 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit / Humidity: 60%. Place bird on wet towel. The warmth relaxes the hen so that the vent can dilate more allowing the egg to pass.
  
• A warm water bath can also be of great help (shallow water, of course, you don't want to drown the hen). This relaxes her muscles and often the hen will pass the egg into the water. Make the water as warm as you would like to take a long soak in.
  
• Massage the muscles in that area with olive oil. In many cases, this lead to a successful passing of the egg. Note: there is a risk associated with messaging this area. It could cause the egg inside to break - which is life-threatening. Be very careful! If in doubt, it's always best to have the vet take care of it ...
  
• Even if the cause is not hypocalcaemia in this hen’s case it will not hurt her to have more calcium.
  
• Applying a personal lubricant, such as KY jelly to her vent may also be helpful.
  
• To reduce swelling on her vent, some breeders reported success in applying Preparation H to her vent.
  
• Successful Passing of the Egg: Following passing of the egg keep the hen in a warm and quiet area separate from the others, until she is out of shock and back to eating and drinking well.
  
• Prevention: Provide bird with high-calorie, high-calcium food to help strengthen future eggs and prevent egg binding. Recommendations for pet bird diet / nutrition.

• Also refer to Chronic Egg Laying

- See more at: http://www.avianweb.com/eggbinding.html#sthash.sUiyeQ7I.dpuf
​

 

[autumnmfisher]

WOW casportpony!!! thanks for all the info, it really helped, everyone else too,

I really must say THANK YOU ALL!!!!

she was egg bound, she passed the egg, it was long and skinny, not broke open but the egg was fractured all around. we did our best to keep her comfortable, kept her warm and she seems much better now. has not perched but is walking around, a definite improvement. I'll go out again tonight and check on her. I'm hoping by then she'll perch. Everyones suggestions really helped

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Autumnfisher, any nite you have a bird that does not perch it's time to investigate why. Your hen should be okay now but it may take her a week or longer before she lays again,she has been stressed over something she had no control over nor does she understand why and even if she did,you get the picture. This is one reason I justify trying to gather eggs at dusk because all the birds will be perched for the evening,and if not they are easy to catch in the dark. Normally tho by the time the bird is too weak to fly it is a very hard uphill battle. It is critical to notice (as you did here) if the bird still has it's alertness, or does it seem like it's in a dead stooper? Something about passing an egg even in a healthy hen will paralize them even if for a minute. I don't make pets of my birds but have been collecting eggs in the late evenings before and witnessed a hen lay an egg while on the perch. I went up to her and she acted "frozen" and didn't even try to move for a period of time. There must be a pressure point where the egg possibly hits a nerve that causes the hen to freeze until the egg is expelled. I spend too much time observing my birds I guess but I'm glad I was correct on this one for you.

 

[casportpony]

I just thought of this as a possibility:

Hypocalcemia, Sudden Death, Osteoporosis, or Cage Layer Fatigue (Poultry)

"Pullets or hens with insufficient dietary calcium, phosphorus, or vitamin D3 may die suddenly or be found paralyzed from hypocalcemia while shelling an egg. This may be associated with high production and withdrawal of calcium from bones for egg shell production, in which case the main lesion may be osteoporosis. At necropsy, there is an egg in the shell gland and the ova are active and fully developed. There are no other lesions, although medullary bone may be lacking. Paralyzed hens respond to calcium IV, and this response may be useful in diagnosis."
Source:http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...teoporosis_or_cage_layer_fatigue_poultry.html

-Kathy

 

[Yoda]

WOW casportpony!!! thanks for all the info, it really helped, everyone else too,

I really must say THANK YOU ALL!!!!

she was egg bound, she passed the egg, it was long and skinny, not broke open but the egg was fractured all around. we did our best to keep her comfortable, kept her warm and she seems much better now. has not perched but is walking around, a definite improvement. I'll go out again tonight and check on her. I'm hoping by then she'll perch. Everyones suggestions really helped

Be sure to offer a supply of crushed oyster shell grit for your birds. I am surprised that your bird is laying in this cold weather. Usually they start laying end of April begining of May here in the northeast area

Unfortunately I am getting more snow Tuesday into Wednesday LOL Spring just doesn't want to come to my house LOL Glad your bird is doing better. I had one last year that was having issues and ended up laying her egg in my hand LOL

 

[casportpony]

This link has some good repro tract pictures:
http://www.slideshare.net/vicky14381/reproductive-system-of-hen

-kathy