HELP Stressed hen straining to lay

[Winderdear]

My hen Août is very stressed due to hot weather and relocation. I noticed her looking lethargic, not wanting to run around or eat much. I took her inside to give her an epsom salt bath in case she was egg bound. While running the bath she laid her egg on the bathroom floor, it was banded. I rejoiced that she had laid, and thought all was well. However, I haven’t seen her poop since. She has been trying to go into the nest box and lay again. Could she have another egg to lay? She eats bits of bread and egg shells, but not her grain. How can I help her? Her tail is droopy and she looks a bit tired and not herself. I’m extremely worried and plan to give her an epsom sat bath asap. What else can I do? What could be wrong?

Thank you in advance for your much needed advice!

 

[Winderdear]

She just pooped, but it’s very watery. Here is a picture:



Do I have any reason to worry?

She has been preening a bit. I don’t want to stress her out more by giving her a bath when she’s never had one before.

 

[azygous]

Skip the bath as she's had enough stress. Give her a calcium tablet right now to stimulate contractions to get a possible second egg out. Also, give her one cup of water with one teaspoon sugar and a pinch of salt and baking soda for shock and dehydration.

 

[Winderdear]

Skip the bath as she's had enough stress. Give her a calcium tablet right now to stimulate contractions to get a possible second egg out. Also, give her one cup of water with one teaspoon sugar and a pinch of salt and baking soda for shock and dehydration.

Thank you! I’ll do so right now!

 

[Winderdear]

@azygous

She did it! I gave her the calcium tablet mixed into some egg scrambled with its shell, and after she ate it she laid her second egg! Thank you so much! I am so so grateful!

 

[Winderdear]

So, the second egg was a soft shelled egg, which I expected, but this morning she’s been frantic, running around and squatting like she needs to lay, and she just pooped what looks like egg yolk. Here is a picture:

Please, tell me what to do! Could this be another stuck soft shelled egg? She has a lot of energy and her tail is higher than yesterday. I don’t know what to think or how to help her. Another calcium pill?

 

[Winderdear]

I’ve brought her inside and given her an egg to sit on, which is somewhat calming her down. She’s acting like she’s going to lay again. Covering herself with pine flakes and making those little purring noises.

The egg yolk poop made me worry she could develop egg yolk peritonitis. How likely is this, if she manages to lay this last egg without issue? Should I get her on antibiotics? My vet isn’t available until Tuesday.

 

[akitafriendakita]

So, the second egg was a soft shelled egg, which I expected, but this morning she’s been frantic, running around and squatting like she needs to lay, and she just pooped what looks like egg yolk. Here is a picture:

Please, tell me what to do! Could this be another stuck soft shelled egg? She has a lot of energy and her tail is higher than yesterday. I don’t know what to think or how to help her. Another calcium pill?

If it's a soft shell for sure, there's not much risk to you just pulling it out (because it can't cut her.) I've pulled out soft shells from my hen's vents before and it usually solves all their problems.

If you don't want to reach in or the vent is just too small, I also find that douching the vent with water may help wash out particles of soft shell that was left behind. I stick her in a warm sitz-like bath, take a feed syringe and push a little [clean] water inside her vent. Massaging her bottom a little to push out the water may help swish out whatever is in there, the feeling of having water up there though will probably make her want to try pushing and it will just come out.

People say douching oil (like coconut oil) into the vent may help lubricate it and get out extra stuff too.

 

[Winderdear]

If it's a soft shell for sure, there's not much risk to you just pulling it out (because it can't cut her.) I've pulled out soft shells from my hen's vents before and it usually solves all their problems.

If you don't want to reach in or the vent is just too small, I also find that douching the vent with water may help wash out particles of soft shell that was left behind. I stick her in a warm sitz-like bath, take a feed syringe and push a little [clean] water inside her vent. Massaging her bottom a little to push out the water may help swish out whatever is in there, the feeling of having water up there though will probably make her want to try pushing and it will just come out.

People say douching oil (like coconut oil) into the vent may help lubricate it and get out extra stuff too.

I tried to inspect her vent, but couldn’t see or feel an egg, and didn’t see anymore liquid egg inside. I gave her a sitz bath like you mentioned, and oiled her vent in case it helps her, but I didn’t douche it yet, just rubbed the oil on.

She sat well for the bath, and is now preening her damp feathers, eating some grain and drinking water. She did briefly try to sit in laying position again, but gave that up pretty quickly. She seems more herself now.

Thank you for all of your advice and suggestions! I’ll post again if anything out of the ordinary occurs.

 

[akitafriendakita]

I tried to inspect her vent, but couldn’t see or feel an egg, and didn’t see anymore liquid egg inside. I gave her a sitz bath like you mentioned, and oiled her vent in case it helps her, but I didn’t douche it yet, just rubbed the oil on.

She sat well for the bath, and is now preening her damp feathers, eating some grain and drinking water. She did briefly try to sit in laying position again, but gave that up pretty quickly. She seems more herself now.

Thank you for all of your advice and suggestions! I’ll post again if anything out of the ordinary occurs.

Maybe she's just recovering from her discomfort/swelling. Last time I pulled a soft egg out of my hens vent, it took a while for the swelling to go back down even though there wasn't anything in there anymore! Hopefully, she'll be okay and back to normal within a day or so!