Hen is eggbound/prolapse

[limpychick]

A couple of days ago I found my little cochin banty hen (Precious) sitting in a corner by herself. When I picked her up I could tell something was wrong and looked at her backside. She looked like she had been trying to lay an egg and I thought she was having a hard time, so I put her in some warm water and sort of massaged her abdomen up towards her opening. But what I saw coming was not the egg I expected. It was almost golf ball sized and red and seemed to have a laceration on it.....I guessed she was going to prolapse, so, I somehow got her to stop pushing and held my hand over her opening, and she never prolapsed; however, she has an egg to pass, and I don't know what to do. On one hand, I know the egg needs to come out, I can feel it in her belly which is now distended and hard, on the other hand, I don't want her to prolapse. I have her in a dog crate with chick starter food, and water with tetracycline in it. I didn't expect her to make it through the first night, but she did, and so now, it has been about 4 days. Poop is a little runny, but she's pooping. she is also eating and drinking fine. She seems to want out, but I am concerned about that egg getting out. How can I get it out without her prolapsing. She is about 2 years and about 2 months ago, she fell and broke an egg inside her. I put her in water and helped her get it out and am confident that she passed the whole egg. I am wondering if this is related or coincidence and she is just unlucky.
Thanks so much in advance for your help.

 

[MotherJean]

Try this link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=275015 Post #6 gives a short, sweet summary of the process. Instead of vaseline, I suggest vegetable oil (olive oil), you can use a medicine dropper or even a turkey baster to gently squirt a couple of tablespoons of oil inside her vent. The oil may help her pass the egg without causing a prolapse. After the long soaking bath and massage you can continue to add extra warmth by putting a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lap, sit the hen on top of that, and just hold her for awhile. I'd put her to bed in a confined space (an old dog crate?).

Good luck with your endeavors. Egg binding is serious and sometimes our best efforts fail, but all you can do is try.

 

[limpychick]

Well, I gave her a warm water soak this morning and put some olive oil in and around her vent. I massaged her towards her vent and her belly seems softer, but no egg. what I felt was not egg shaped. So, now i dont know what is going on. Good new is that she didn't show any signs of prolapse with her pushing this time.