Hen pooing out egg yolk?

[kattfink]

My hen is unwell this morning, all fluffed up with head tucked in.
Is usually very friendly but running away from me.
She just did a poo full of egg I think?
There are white streaky bits all through it.
Do I just need to wait for it all to pass out?
I have read about giving them calcium tablets. If so how much?
Thanks!

 

[azygous]

Get some of this. Give one tablet whole directly into the beak. No, she won't choke. It will go down like magic.

In addition to the calcium, she will need an oral antibiotic. Yolk when broken inside a hen starts growing bacteria almost immediately. Search you prescription drugs and maybe you have something on hand. If not, you will need to ask a vet to sell you something. Amoxicillin is a good one. 250mg per day for ten days.

Give the calcium one a day until all egg material has been expelled. You will know because your hen will suddenly feel and behave normal again.

 

[kattfink]

Get some of this. Give one tablet whole directly into the beak. No, she won't choke. It will go down like magic.View attachment 2867395In addition to the calcium, she will need an oral antibiotic. Yolk when broken inside a hen starts growing bacteria almost immediately. Search you prescription drugs and maybe you have something on hand. If not, you will need to ask a vet to sell you something. Amoxicillin is a good one. 250mg per day for ten days.

Give the calcium one a day until all egg material has been expelled. You will know because your hen will suddenly feel and behave normal again.

Thanks SO much! You really know your stuff! I have this...

 

[kattfink]

Thanks SO much! You really know your stuff! I have this...

And I have these left over from my cat... They are only 50mg though. My cat was only on 50mg x2 a day???

 

[Eggcessive]

You can give 2 1/2 tablets twice a day. Amoxicillin dosage is 125mg twice a day, and that would be equal to 2 1/2 tabs. Give it for 10 days.

 

[azygous]

You're set! I suggest placing your hen in an infirmary crate inside where you can monitor what comes out of her. Also, isolating her from the others will protect her should she push so hard she prolapses. This sometimes happens, and if it does, don't be alarmed. It will correct once she expels all the egg material. Use some thick towels under her to absorb fluids and it will also be easier to see what she expels than if you put her on shavings or straw.

She may be losing fluids during this, so be sure she has plenty of water to drink. You may also provide her with her regular food.

 

[kattfink]

You're set! I suggest placing your hen in an infirmary crate inside where you can monitor what comes out of her. Also, isolating her from the others will protect her should she push so hard she prolapses. This sometimes happens, and if it does, don't be alarmed. It will correct once she expels all the egg material. Use some thick towels under her to absorb fluids and it will also be easier to see what she expels than if you put her on shavings or straw.

She may be losing fluids during this, so be sure she has plenty of water to drink. You may also provide her with her regular food.

So strange... She's now walking around as normal. Alert and happy! And eating! I have put the calcium in her water. Should I give her antibiotics or just wait and see?

 

[azygous]

Her behavior likely indicates she's passed all of the egg material. That's been my experience with similar cases. Once the oviduct clears out all obstructed material, the hen feels much better and returns to her regular habits.

However, she is not out of the woods as far as infection. She still requires the full round of the antibiotic to clear out any bacteria that started to grow in her oviduct. This will kill off all the bacteria and prevent a chronic reproductive infection from lodging there that would have shortened her life considerably.

Be sure to introduce probiotics after the antibiotic is finished to restore her good bacteria in her digestive tract. Your hen will then be good as new.

Continue that calcium one a day for a few more days to boost her blood calcium. If you see any sign of poor egg quality, give that calcium again until her eggs have improved. This is important to avoid future egg binding episodes.

I preach that every hen keeper should keep a bottle of calcium in their run and be ready to pop a pill into any hen that has just laid a soft shell or shell-less egg. This can prevent what your hen just went through. You, too.