Help with egg bound Silkie

[Hua]

Hi all! Our Silkie had an egg break in her on Monday. On Tuesday I gave her a Epsom salt soak and used lube to pull a chunk of deflated shell out of her. Then I separated her and gave her lots of treats. I also mixed tums into the treats.
On Wednesday she was still puffed out and not her old self. She was straining a lot like she’s still trying to get something out. I once again gave her a soak and felt to see if their was some left in her. I didn’t feel anything though. She really put up a fight so I know it hurts.

Today is the same as yesterday. She’s pooping and eating, but keeps straining and won’t lay down. Also, today there was some yellowish mucus stuff oozing out of her (see the pic) and is a bit swollen. She’s a hatchery grade silkie so her skin is a mix black and pink.

What can I do? Hemmroid cream? Penicillin?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Oh she looks terrible in that picture. How is she doing today?

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Been trying to learn about eggbound stuff--I take it there's really no way to completely prevent the condition? Meaning, ya feed em right, ya house em right, and sometimes it just happens?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Been trying to learn about eggbound stuff--I take it there's really no way to completely prevent the condition? Meaning, ya feed em right, ya house em right, and sometimes it just happens?

Fat hens have a bigger tendency to have problems, so making sure you feed a correct diet without too much fat can be one thing you can do. I learned the hard way that too much black oil sunflower seeds can cause internal fat.

Also slowing down maturity on growing pullets can help to make sure they are large enough to lay when it starts. I do that by adding a bit of scratch to their daily diet after 3 months.

Everyone gets excited for that first egg, but I'd prefer they started just a bit later. Raising them so they mature in the fall under decreasing daylight will help to slow down maturity too. When raised out of season they often will mature quicker under increasing light and can have problems.

I personally keep my hens their whole lives, so long laying is more important to me than laying up front.

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Fat hens have a bigger tendency to have problems, so making sure you feed a correct diet without too much fat can be one thing you can do. I learned the hard way that too much black oil sunflower seeds can cause internal fat.

GAH! :-o Thanks for the heads up! We're currently out but sunflower seeds are usually part of their snack--going to limit them! Also...and I say this with shame...Scrambled and Dumpling are overweight. My bestie was looking at them a couple days ago (she says, "'Overweight'? I believe my comment was 'obese'!"). I have spoiled them since Lunatic Leroy has been gone but I've have been reining it in since the other day. Well darn it, they're just so cute! Oh, and do they beg...I am a target for ANY species that begs... I have an invisible sign on my forehead that says, "This one will feed you." LOL

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

GAH! :-o Thanks for the heads up! We're currently out but sunflower seeds are usually part of their snack--going to limit them! Also...and I say this with shame...Scrambled and Dumpling are overweight. My bestie was looking at them a couple days ago (she says, "'Overweight'? I believe my comment was 'obese'!"). I have spoiled them since Lunatic Leroy has been gone but I've have been reining it in since the other day. Well darn it, they're just so cute! Oh, and do they beg...I am a target for ANY species that begs... I have an invisible sign on my forehead that says, "This one will feed you." LOL

Some birds look fat, but it's all feathers. You can check by getting a hold of them and feeling the keel bone in front. It should be prominent but not too sharp, and it shouldn't feel too fat.

Chickens are really good at begging. Mine get daily scrambled eggs and come in a giant hoard for them. It's a good healthy treat that they go crazy for once they get the taste for them. It's a good source of protein. Other good treats are watermelon, tomatoes, grapes, lettuce, and other various fruits and vegetables fed in limited amounts. Scratch I feed in limited amounts. I don't do meal worms as I've read multiple times that too many dried ones can cause kidney problems.

Fat chickens are prone to lots of health problems, and their lives will be short because of it. Try the scrambled eggs. I microwave mine, scramble well, microwave 30 seconds to a minute per egg. Let cool. Make sure to scramble well and cover with a paper towel so there's no exploding eggs.

 

[Hua]

Oh she looks terrible in that picture. How is she doing today?

The first two days since I made the post I cleaned her up twice a day and added hemroid cream. Both those days she would strain so hard her vent would be inverted and her vent was messy but not as bad as the pic. Today though she seems to be a bit better! Her crop is fuller then it has been and her vent wasn’t messy at all. She’s still all puffed up though.

I know this happened because of something I did so I hope she’ll be okay. She was limping and we have a pretty big rooster so I think she might have gotten hurt from mating. I separated her for 1-2 weeks and gave her various foods- seeds, veg, fruit, oyster shells, etc. She’s so tiny that I suspect she only ate the seeds (a mix including BOSS) and didn’t really touch the veg/fruit (lots of it was rotting in her pin).

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The first two days since I made the post I cleaned her up twice a day and added hemroid cream. Both those days she would strain so hard her vent would be inverted and her vent was messy but not as bad as the pic. Today though she seems to be a bit better! Her crop is fuller then it has been and her vent wasn’t messy at all. She’s still all puffed up though.

I know this happened because of something I did so I hope she’ll be okay. She was limping and we have a pretty big rooster so I think she might have gotten hurt from mating. I separated her for 1-2 weeks and gave her various foods- seeds, veg, fruit, oyster shells, etc. She’s so tiny that I suspect she only ate the seeds (a mix including BOSS) and didn’t really touch the veg/fruit (lots of it was rotting in her pin).

I'm not sure that you did anything to cause it. Sometimes stuff just happens due to underlying problems. About all you can do is make sure they aren't too fat, and there's always a separate bowl of oyster shells for the calcium needs as hens need calcium so their muscles work well too, which helps in laying.

Keeping stress low too will help avoid shell less eggs which sometimes are harder to pass due to the friction, and can occasionally cause a prolapse.

Silkies in general are best kept with silkies or other gentle bantam breeds. Sometimes despite the best care chickens have problems. I have found silkies to be a challenging breed at times, so I currently don't have any because of it.

It's good she's improving. Keep at it, and keep her separated so the tissue doesn't get pecked and damaged which will complicate healing immensely.