HELP!! PLEASE. Something stuck in hen; quite possibly an egg? WHAT TO DO

[lauren3177]

How is she doing? I would definitely make sure she is getting water, if not you may need to syringe feed her. I am working as a Vet Tech (hoping to make it to vet school soon!) and have worked on a case very similar to this.

This is what we did for Gerty (The chicken with similar problems)

We gave her fluids several times a day, along with an epsom salt soak. While she was in the warm water, I massaged her back end to help aid the impaction out. If this didn't help too much, it is ok to stick your fingers in there and try your best to pull it out. Don't do this if she has any sort of cuts or it looks like putting your fingers in there would rip her in any way.

As mentioned earlier, chlorhexidene can be used. You can get this from a local vet clinic. Although, they may need you to bring her in, not sure.

Other than this, just try to make sure she is eating/drinking and getting those epsom salt baths in warm water. With the warm water, make sure she is dried off good before she goes outside if it gets chilly. I used a hair-drier, you could too if she tolerates it.

Also, I would just like to warn you that as chickens age, they start having these problems, it is pretty likely that it will happen again, just be prepared. If she does this a second time, chances are you will be struggling with it several more times.

Let me know if you have any questions! I wish you luck.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can dilute any chlorhexidene to 2% with water. Hibiclens is 4%, so mix it with half as much water. They normally sell chlorhexidene or Hibiclens in the first aid aisle at Walmart for about $6. They also sell Betadine/povidone iodine as Equate First Aid Antiseptic, but those might be hard to find right now. Vetericyn, Theracyn, or a similar wound spray can be found at feed and farm stores. If none are found just use saline or water.

 

[R_V]

How is she doing? I would definitely make sure she is getting water, if not you may need to syringe feed her. I am working as a Vet Tech (hoping to make it to vet school soon!) and have worked on a case very similar to this.

This is what we did for Gerty (The chicken with similar problems)

We gave her fluids several times a day, along with an epsom salt soak. While she was in the warm water, I massaged her back end to help aid the impaction out. If this didn't help too much, it is ok to stick your fingers in there and try your best to pull it out. Don't do this if she has any sort of cuts or it looks like putting your fingers in there would rip her in any way.

As mentioned earlier, chlorhexidene can be used. You can get this from a local vet clinic. Although, they may need you to bring her in, not sure.

Other than this, just try to make sure she is eating/drinking and getting those epsom salt baths in warm water. With the warm water, make sure she is dried off good before she goes outside if it gets chilly. I used a hair-drier, you could too if she tolerates it.

Also, I would just like to warn you that as chickens age, they start having these problems, it is pretty likely that it will happen again, just be prepared. If she does this a second time, chances are you will be struggling with it several more times.

Let me know if you have any questions! I wish you luck.

You guys are REALLY making this less stressful! Thank you to infinity!! Earlier, I tried to coax some more yogurt into her system and she did what she has been doing for the past few hours: nibbles here and there. Didn't touch the water. I gave her another Epsom salt soak and dried her off with a blow drier. She quite enjoyed it, actually. Fell asleep during the process and made a sound of dare I say, disappointment(!?) when she realized that I had finished drying her off. Fast forward a couple of hours when I return to give her some more yogurt interlaced with calcium and magnesium. She nibbles but than rejects the yogurt. I stop and sit with her a few minutes. But than! Lo and behold she gets up and moves towards her bowl of water and plate of pellets! She proceeds to eat a bit of the pellets and drink a lot of water. I know this is a vast improvement and I am very happy for her!

There is a question though, Lauren. Can I leave the egg in there for her to eventually push out or must I take it out myself? Despite how squeamish I am, if letting her heal means that I have to take it out, I will suck it up and [try to] just do it. Evenso, when I was lubricating her earlier with triple antibiotic gel, it felt like I couldn't dig deep because tissue was connected to the egg. Am I mistaken in believing that this is tissue (skin?) on her insides or is it the egg that is simply still attached?

 

[Eggcessive]

@casportpony can you have a look at the object in the pictures in post 1 to see if it looks like a lash egg, shell-less egg, cyst or whatever? The pictures are not clear.

 

[R_V]

You can dilute any chlorhexidene to 2% with water. Hibiclens is 4%, so mix it with half as much water. They normally sell chlorhexidene or Hibiclens in the first aid aisle at Walmart for about $6. They also sell Betadine/povidone iodine as Equate First Aid Antiseptic, but those might be hard to find right now. Vetericyn, Theracyn, or a similar wound spray can be found at feed and farm stores. If none are found just use saline or water.

Is Hibiclens similar in use as Neosporin/antibiotic gels?

 

[Eggcessive]

Hibiclens or chlorhexidene is a disinfectant used in hospitals to disinfect wound sites, injection sites, and to prep for surgery. It is not an antibiotic gel. Here is some reading about it:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorhexidine

 

[lauren3177]

There is a question though, Lauren. Can I leave the egg in there for her to eventually push out or must I take it out myself? Despite how squeamish I am, if letting her heal means that I have to take it out, I will suck it up and [try to] just do it. Evenso, when I was lubricating her earlier with triple antibiotic gel, it felt like I couldn't dig deep because tissue was connected to the egg. Am I mistaken in believing that this is tissue (skin?) on her insides or is it the egg that is simply still attached?

You could potentially see if she will push it out, but I would not leave it for more than a day or so longer, if possible. If it’s an egg, I highly doubt it would be attached. If it was something else (such as a tumor) it could be connected. I would highly doubt its a tumor though. Just try your best to get it out sometime. If nothing else, maybe try to help her get it out by massaging closer to the opening.

 

[Eggcessive]

Someone recently posted a thread with a round red-colored cyst ataptached and coming from a vent of their hen. Maybe post some clear er pictures of the vent tomorrow.

 

[R_V]

Someone recently posted a thread with a round red-colored cyst ataptached and coming from a vent of their hen. Maybe post some clear er pictures of the vent tomorrow.

Will certainly do!

 

[R_V]

You could potentially see if she will push it out, but I would not leave it for more than a day or so longer, if possible. If it’s an egg, I highly doubt it would be attached. If it was something else (such as a tumor) it could be connected. I would highly doubt its a tumor though. Just try your best to get it out sometime. If nothing else, maybe try to help her get it out by massaging closer to the opening.

Could she go into shock if she doesn't manage to push it out herself?