Help with our bantam — Nothing is working

[stephlynch]

Hi there,

Never posted on here before so forgive me if I'm not doing this correctly.

We have a polish bantam hen that has been a consistently good layer (this is her first year laying), very energetic, very spunky, and our favorite chicken.

A few days ago, we found her before night chores on the ground in their coop. This is not like her so we checked and her backside was covered in runny poop, vent area seemed swollen, and she was having trouble perching.

We gave her a warm bath, cleaned her up, gave her drench, and then noticed she may be egg bound because her back side looked quite swollen and her vent was pulsing/contracting.

The next day I got Calcium tablets + Epsom salt, and she has been steadily eating herbs/seeds/oats with olive oil, crushed calcium +D, and water, plus 1mm of drench once in awhile. We've also been regularly giving her warm salt baths (2-3x day), keeping her warm, in a quiet area, and putting vaseline on her vent to keep it lubricated. She's still eating, drinking, and generally perky, but does have one lame leg. We assumed this was from the egg pushing on her pelvis/nerves.

It's now been either 3 or 4 days (I can't quite remember) and she has been pooping (diarrhea consistency, 3-4x a day) after we give her calcium/food, which I suppose is a good sign? But no progress shown on laying. I also have palpated gently, massaged her abdomen, and tried feeling inside her vent for an egg — don't think I feel anything but it's so hard to tell and I'm trying to be extremely careful.

At this point, I don't know what else we can do and I am so distressed because she is our favorite hen and we feel helpless.

Does anyone else have any ideas on if this could be something other than egg bound? If there is anything else we can do, if she is in fact egg bound? Or general similar experiences? I've read everything on the internet about this and just don't know what else to do.

Thanks so much

 

[Sc_chickengirl]

It sounds like you're taking really good care of her. I know exactly how you feel. But it sounds like your doing a lot for her. I don't know what to recommend except just keep doing what you're doing.

 

[stephlynch]

Thank you, I really appreciate it

 

[Mrs J]

Hi there,

Never posted on here before so forgive me if I'm not doing this correctly.

We have a polish bantam hen that has been a consistently good layer (this is her first year laying), very energetic, very spunky, and our favorite chicken.

A few days ago, we found her before night chores on the ground in their coop. This is not like her so we checked and her backside was covered in runny poop, vent area seemed swollen, and she was having trouble perching.

We gave her a warm bath, cleaned her up, gave her drench, and then noticed she may be egg bound because her back side looked quite swollen and her vent was pulsing/contracting.

The next day I got Calcium tablets + Epsom salt, and she has been steadily eating herbs/seeds/oats with olive oil, crushed calcium +D, and water, plus 1mm of drench once in awhile. We've also been regularly giving her warm salt baths (2-3x day), keeping her warm, in a quiet area, and putting vaseline on her vent to keep it lubricated. She's still eating, drinking, and generally perky, but does have one lame leg. We assumed this was from the egg pushing on her pelvis/nerves.

It's now been either 3 or 4 days (I can't quite remember) and she has been pooping (diarrhea consistency, 3-4x a day) after we give her calcium/food, which I suppose is a good sign? But no progress shown on laying. I also have palpated gently, massaged her abdomen, and tried feeling inside her vent for an egg — don't think I feel anything but it's so hard to tell and I'm trying to be extremely careful.

At this point, I don't know what else we can do and I am so distressed because she is our favorite hen and we feel helpless.

Does anyone else have any ideas on if this could be something other than egg bound? If there is anything else we can do, if she is in fact egg bound? Or general similar experiences? I've read everything on the internet about this and just don't know what else to do.

Thanks so much

Could you post pictures of her and her poop and vent? Have you checked that her crop is full of a night and empty of a morning? Give as much information as you can, any nasal discharge, does the discharge from her vent smell really bad? is she lethargic etc…it will help with the advice you receive. Also is she the only one showing lameness? No other problems in your flock?

 

[WoDia]

You’re taking such wonderful care. Very lucky little chicken. You haven’t found an egg, but it does sound like her diarrhea issue needs resolving. That will weaken her. It could be parasitic or some type of illness. Watch her closely. If conditions don’t improve, I suggest contacting a vet to give her a thorough exam. Good Wishes!

 

[Jeanw]

@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive
@azygous

 

[azygous]

You're doing well. One thing that will help your treatment to be more effective is to give her the calcium tablet whole, directly into her beak. It's okay. She can swallow a bigger pill than you can.

Crushing and diluting the calcium in water wastes a lot of the calcium. She need around 600mg per day, so continue to give the calcium tablet each day until she gets this problem resolved. You'll know when it's resolved by the way she behaves, reverting to her regular happy self.

 

[stephlynch]

Could you post pictures of her and her poop and vent? Have you checked that her crop is full of a night and empty of a morning? Give as much information as you can, any nasal discharge, does the discharge from her vent smell really bad? is she lethargic etc…it will help with the advice you receive. Also is she the only one showing lameness? No other problems in your flock?

Yes sorry, trying to provide as much detail as I can. I haven't noticed any discharge or bad odors, aside from the very smelly diarrhea lol. Not sure about her crop honestly, what's the best way to check? She has seemed alert still, she just can't walk around because of her lame leg. She is the only one showing any of these symptoms, haven't had any other issues in the flock. Although now we will start them all on drench to boost immune support.

We do have some Enrotex antibiotic, do you think we should start her on that in case it's some sort of infection?

Thank you all so much for trying to help!

Here are pics of her (sitting because of her lame leg) and her backside which I've cleaned now, but keeps getting messy.

 

[Sc_chickengirl]

Yes sorry, trying to provide as much detail as I can. I haven't noticed any discharge or bad odors, aside from the very smelly diarrhea lol. Not sure about her crop honestly, what's the best way to check? She has seemed alert still, she just can't walk around because of her lame leg. She is the only one showing any of these symptoms, haven't had any other issues in the flock. Although now we will start them all on drench to boost immune support.

We do have some Enrotex antibiotic, do you think we should start her on that in case it's some sort of infection?

Thank you all so much for trying to help!

Here are pics of her (sitting because of her lame leg) and her backside which I've cleaned now, but keeps getting messy.

Poor beautiful girl! I have one that looks just like her!

 

[NatJ]

Not sure about her crop honestly, what's the best way to check?

To check the crop: grab a healthy chicken, and feel at the base of their neck in the front. There should be a bag or lump just under the skin. That is the crop. It will be big and full at roosting time, empty in the morning, and partly full during the day. If it's empty, you probably cannot find it at all. If it's full, it is very easy to feel, but may not be visible because of how the feathers fluff over it.

After you've felt the crops on a few healthy chickens, go feel the one you're not sure about.