HELP!!!!! What should I do?

[Myst4]

Hi I have a white leg horn hen that ,in the last few days, isn't doing so well. She was laying eggs everyday until the last few days or week. She would go into a nest and just sit there, no egg. Now yesterday I noticed that she wasn't
eating,or drinking. She just stands beside the food and water feeders and does nothing but close her eyes. I don't know her age, but know she is getting up there. Today I checked on her and her comb is slowly turning blue...or purplish.
I touched it and it's cold. Her comb is usually very red. She doesn't seem to want to move anywhere. Could she be egg-bound? Is there anything I can do for her? Thanks ahead of time for any advice or ideas.

 

[LynneP]

She is in pain.
Check her vent for signs of pulsing.
She sounds eggbound, though there may be other things going on.
Take her out of the flock.
I'd put her on a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel or on a heating pad, first.
You may need to give her a series of hour-long belly baths under strict supervision and getting her dry quickly after.
If successful any of these heat applications should result in a mess made up mostly of egg (watch for shell or shell broken inside, an emergency situation!)
Please start asap with her, an eggbound hen can die of shock and pain. (blue comb)
Where are you in NS?

 

[Myst4]

Quote:
Thanks for your advice.....would it help her under a heat lamp?
I live about 20 minutes out of Yarmouth...Where are you?

 

[LynneP]

I'm in C. Rawdon- was hoping we might be closer. Heat lamp won't hurt but vent may be pulsing- do you know?
Blue comb is serious warning.
Guessing she needs heat at vent, deep heat to dilate egg chute and get what is in there, out.

 

[LynneP]

Watch for blood too in case broken shell in there- requires cautious removal may need tweezers...

You may be nervous about treating her, I know Leghorns might be flighty but hens will normally cooperate with heat at the abdomen...

I'm so sorry, I have to log out, it's near dusk and I have to go to the coop. I'm gping to leave you some links from others dealing with eggbound hens, though.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/se...ID:10&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=eggbound&sa=Search#1152

 

[Myst4]

Quote:
My female Finch was egg bound, nearly lost her. I was told to put Olive oil on and around her vent,and did so. It worked. I just did that with my hen,and also she is now under the heatlamp. She doesn't
look good at all. I'm afraid I may be too late. She is laying down, with her eyes closed. I'm not sure what it is called, but it's what I call the sack that holds the food they eat. Well it is completely empty. I can feel
her bones...she feels as though she is nothing but skin and bones. I'm afraid I am losing her. We have a hot water bottle,but not sure where it is. You suggested a warm bath? Maybe I can try that. Anyway, I will let you
know how she does .

 

[Myst4]

I just went out in the barn to check on her.....I think she isn't going to make it through the night.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

So sorry to hear that. I will pray for you and your girl.

 

[Myst4]

Inspite of my efforts to save her, my girl "Ice Cube"(as our kids named her) passed away during the night.

.....She was such a good layer and a good hen. She was my only purebred
white leghorn and the smallest hen I had. She will be missed greatly.

 

[LynneP]

I'm sorry to hear this, did you take a close look to see if there were any clues about what took her? Watch the others, just in case...