Hen Just Standing around, Posture is like a ball

[Eggcessive]

You have received good advice for what to look for. It sounds like she was egg bound, and is having some trouble passing eggs. ISA browns are real laying machines, so that can be a common problem. Hopefully, she will perk up now that the egg has been passed, but soft eggs can be hard to pass. Infection can set up if they have eggs break inside, so some will use an antibiotic to treat early to prevent egg yolk peritonitis. Drugs like amoxicillin or Baytril could be good for that, but may be hard to get where you live without a vet.

I recently lost an ISA who had been a great layer until she was attacked by a dog. She recovered after a few months, but laid rubber or thin-shelled eggs for 2 years afterward. I felt that her shell gland was damaged. She suddenly became ill 2 weeks ago and died from what I believe was egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[IvanK]

Hi

Was the egg you found in the mess under her roosting spot a normal egg with a hard shell or a soft or shell less egg? The latter take a lot of effort for hens to lay and it really takes it out of them. That hunched posture with a rounded back is an indication that she is straining.
What do you normally feed them....main feed as well as treats?

Hi! Thanks for coming in to assist. First your questions and then some new developments.
The egg was normal and in the middle of a poo mound. Again, not sure if it was her's.
I feed them a good quality pellet in the winters and the occasional veggie/fruit treat. I cut out scratch a while back since I found that it was doing their crops no favors.
Ok...so I just inspected her for the first time today and this problem seems to finally be rearing it's ugly head. Her vent is considerably "pinker" than yesterday. Yesterday it seemed normal...today it looks a little "angry"...not super red but pink/red and wet. I gently pressed on the area around and a wet squishy noise came out of her vent.
Her abdomen still seems normal and her energy levels are about the same as yesterday. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Thank you kindly.

 

[junebuggena]

Have you checked her over for mites?

 

[IvanK]

Have you checked her over for mites?

Yes, she's clean.

 

[IvanK]

You have received good advice for what to look for. It sounds like she was egg bound, and is having some trouble passing eggs. ISA browns are real laying machines, so that can be a common problem. Hopefully, she will perk up now that the egg has been passed, but soft eggs can be hard to pass. Infection can set up if they have eggs break inside, so some will use an antibiotic to treat early to prevent egg yolk peritonitis. Drugs like amoxicillin or Baytril could be good for that, but may be hard to get where you live without a vet.

I recently lost an ISA who had been a great layer until she was attacked by a dog. She recovered after a few months, but laid rubber or thin-shelled eggs for 2 years afterward. I felt that her shell gland was damaged. She suddenly became ill 2 weeks ago and died from what I believe was egg yolk peritonitis.

I agree...the help has been invaluable! The problem still exists however and I've just discovered that her vent area is starting to turn pink/red and seems wet. If this is an egg problem...I wonder if it would benefit her to have a warm bath at this stage? Not sure what I should do...I suppose it couldn't hurt if she is still trying to pass something?

 

[Eggcessive]

I do not normally bathe my chickens, and would not recommend it if she is really weak or not doing well. In winter, they have to come in and be blown dry if baths are given. You can do as well for egg binding by bringing her into a humid warm room, or perhaps on a heating pad set on low. If you think that she can tolerate a bath, it may help, but only if you think she is strong enough and dried completely. Many people say their chickens love warm baths. I would give her some calcium in the form of Tums or a calcium tablet, and offer her some water. Low calcium levels and dehydration can be causes for egg binding. Many hens do not drink enough in cold weather.

 

[IvanK]

I do not normally bathe my chickens, and would not recommend it if she is really weak or not doing well. In winter, they have to come in and be blown dry if baths are given. You can do as well for egg binding by bringing her into a humid warm room, or perhaps on a heating pad set on low. If you think that she can tolerate a bath, it may help, but only if you think she is strong enough and dried completely. Many people say their chickens love warm baths. I would give her some calcium in the form of Tums or a calcium tablet, and offer her some water. Low calcium levels and dehydration can be causes for egg binding. Many hens do not drink enough in cold weather.

Hi! It's been a few days and I thought I'd follow up.
She roosts in a heated barn and has access to plenty of water. I didn't bathe her but I did get her to ingest some calcium. Her condition remains the same, eating and drinking a little but way off from what is normal... however there have been more weird developments.
If you recall I found an egg in a huge pile of poo under where she roosts. Yesterday I found another egg that was just randomly dropped on the ground...and today in the same place BUT it was coated in a clear jelly-like substance. The egg was fully formed with a hard shell; it was just coated in a substance that I can best describe as clear semi dry silicone...kind of wet yet crumbly in between the fingers.
On the top and bottom of the egg mixed in with the jelly appeared to be a little blood..more like staining than fresh liquid blood. I'm wondering if she just has a defective reproductive system or if this had been brought on by something else. I've never seen this before so not sure what to do. Perhaps this is just the way she is?
Have you experienced this before or heard of this in ISA Browns? I'm thinking if she was egg bound, she'd be dead by now instead of just getting by.

 

[micstrachan]

Hmm... wondering if this could be vent gleet, which is like (including treatment) a yeast infection. You can look around the forums for information on that, or some of the participants in this thread can help, as well.