How to Help an Egg Bound Hen?

[SurferchickinSB]

Give calcium as in Tums or the like?

Yup

 

[AmyJane725]

@Kathy Golla I hear what you are saying but am wondering. . If you can't get an egg-bound chicken to a vet and the bath and calcium don't help ... will she die anyway?

I don't know if I've ever had this situation or not. I've just assumed any bird I had that died did so "of natural causes." I don't know if my vet treats chickens. But since joining BYC I've learned a LOT. So now I'm wondering ... ? Will she die anyway?

She will die in around 3 days if the egg doesn't pass.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I'd like to point out that never did I say anything about reaching inside and pulling the egg out myself, or anything else invasive.

If she's calcium deficient I'm providing the missing nutrient, and soaking her to loosen things up/help her along. She will be laying the egg herself. None of that is going to break the egg inside of her, and more than likely professional help won't be available in time to save her.

Yeah, the Tums and the soaking has always worked for me. Even just the Tums has worked and it usually works with in about 20-30 minutes. That has been my experience.

 

[AmyJane725]

And what about people who don't have a vet who will see chickens? Most of them don't. Are they supposed to just let their hens die without even trying to help them?

There's also people who aren't willing to pay a vet to see a chicken. They're gonna be doing this stuff at home. And it's in the best interest of the birds that they know how to do it right.

 

[AmyJane725]

Yeah, the Tums and the soaking has always worked for me. Even just the Tums has worked and it usually works with in about 20-30 minutes. That has been my experience.

Have you given additional calcium if the tums didn't work with the first dose?

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Have you given additional calcium if the tums didn't work with the first dose?

It has always worked for me, but I continue to give them Tums for a few days after just to make sure everything is working OK. A member on this site told me to give them the Tums for a week. I wish I could remember who it was because I appreciated their help.

 

[AmyJane725]

It has always worked for me, but I continue to give them Tums for a few days after just to make sure everything is working OK. A member on this site told me to give them the Tums for a week. I wish I could remember who it was because I appreciated their help.

Good to know. Keep them from having another episode probably.

Do you give 1000mg/day for the rest of the week, or less on those doses?

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Good to know. Keep them from having another episode probably.

Do you give 1000mg/day for the rest of the week, or less on those doses?

Yes, another thing I do all the time is I throw the oyster shell on the ground, because my chickens will not eat the Oystershell out of the container even though I have it in their run in a bowl. They will only pick it up off the ground!

 

[getaclue]

No to the D3.

 

[AmyJane725]

Yes, another thing I do all the time is I throw the oyster shell on the ground, because my chickens will not eat the Oystershell out of the container even though I have it in their run in a bowl. They will only pick it up off the ground!

Really? That's good to know. I'll have to keep an eye on mine when they get old enough for that and make sure they're actually eating it.