Hen in laying box for no reason?

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi,
I have a sapphire OE who is recovering from a sickness. She hasn't laid in a month and isn't well enough to be laying. However, she's spending lots of time in the laying box. Today she's been there for 2 hours and counting. The other day she was in there to sleep because the other girls kicked her off the roost, but in the past few days she's been on the roost and the other girls aren't up yet right now. I've read that hens that don't lay pretend to lay to seem normal, but she's spending way too much time on the laying box for her to be pretending. Any idea what's going on?

She doesn't puff up or growl or bite me and I haven't seen any unusual poops. Her breathing is labored, I wonder if she's laying internally. The vet said that might be a cause of her sickness

She's eating and drinking normally, if I remove her she doesn't care or go back

Yes, he's a chicken vet. Brought her a couple weeks ago

I gave her a warm bath and everything, what's weird is neither I nor the vet felt an egg. Is it possible she could be laying internally and absorbing/breaking down the egg?

Sounds like she has some type of reproductive disorder going on. Did the vet perform an xray or make any recommendations for her care?

With reproductive disorders (Internal Laying, Peritonitis, Cancer, Salpingitis, etc.) symptoms can be very similar. Treatment is similar as well - supportive care which includes seeing that she's staying hydrated and eating, that her crop is emptying, keeping lice/mites and internal parasites under control. Antibiotics could be included as a supportive measure to help keep a bird more comfortable. If there's fluid, then draining the fluid can help as well. None of these measures are a cure since there is no cure for reproductive disorders.

fwiw - If a hen is laying internally, you would not feel an egg inside the oviduct. An egg that is laid internally would be in the abdomen.

 

[Silviaschicks]

I've given her antibiotics (baytril) and vitamin supplements. vet said no internal parasites, but he didn't do an x-ray. Do you know if she's ever going to lay again?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've given her antibiotics (baytril) and vitamin supplements. vet said no internal parasites, but he didn't do an x-ray. Do you know if she's ever going to lay again?

There's no way to know if she'll ever lay again.
It sounds like she's in poor shape.
You will need to check her a couple of times a day to ensure she's eating/drinking well and check in the mornings to make sure her crop is emptying.

If the others are picking at her, then she may need to be separated, but I rarely separate a bird that is unwell.
If she continues to decline, then talk with your vet to see if they suggest you continue on or if it's time to put her out of her misery.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sorry your hen is unwell. Watching to see how this resolves. Hoping for the best. ❤

 

[aart]

I would contact the vet if the baytril he gave here didn't do any good.

Here's what I do when I have a hen that is 'off':
I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor:
-their intake of food and water,
-crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed),
-and their poops.
Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling.
Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[Silviaschicks]

Her poop has been normal for a while now, and she's eating and drinking properly. She's basically fully recovered from her problem, so is she trying to lay again?

 

[oldhen2345]

She doesn't puff up or growl or bite me and I haven't seen any unusual poops. Her breathing is labored, I wonder if she's laying internally. The vet said that might be a cause of her sickness

Maybe she feels safe in the laying box since she isn’t feeling well

 

[Silviaschicks]

forgot to update this problem, yeah she's really sick. she's blind too. wondering if she has newcastle?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Is she still hanging out in the nesting box? Any other changes?

 

[Silviaschicks]

She’s inside with us most of the time. She’s on her last legs. I think she was mostly in the nest box for some peace from my BR and to sleep because she’s not strong enough to jump onto the roost