How to tell if egg bound?

[Bokbokbokbecky]

I have a 3 year old laying hen who was acting super lethargic all day. It was stormy, so when I went out to check on the flock (they free range) and I found her huddled in the corner under cover by herself I assumed she was just sheltering from the storm. But she was there every time I went out to check on them, no matter if it was actively raining or not. The other girls would shelter when it was raining and then forage in the breaks. She even let me pick her up, which she never lets me do. Finally at bedtime she was the only hen still out of the coop when I went to lock up. I picked her up and noticed that her belly under her vent was hard. I assumed she might be egg bound so I brought her in and did an epsom salt soak for. Her for 20 min, then applied Vaseline around and inside her vent. The the internet says I should be able to feel an egg within an inch and a half or so of the opening, but that’s not where the lump is. It’s like, under her cloaca in her lower belly where her “fluffy butt” feather are. I’m starting to think she might have a different issue, but I’m not sure what. The lump is firm and roughly egg sized. I can massage it up toward her cloaca but it falls right back down towards her lower belly when I do. It’s about an hour past their bedtime now, she’s fallen asleep. I tried to get her to drink water with rooster booster and some calcium but she hasn’t had anything.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hi Becky, sorry your hen is having difficulty. I'm not sure but this sounds like possibly internal laying to me. You say she is 3 yo. What breed please? What do you feed and do you have oyster shell always available? While you answer I'm going to tag some of our Educators for you.
@Eggcessive @coach723 @azygous

 

[Bokbokbokbecky]

Hi Becky, sorry your hen is having difficulty. I'm not sure but this sounds like possibly internal laying to me. You say she is 3 yo. What breed please? What do you feed and do you have oyster shell always available? While you answer I'm going to tag some of our Educators for you.
@Eggcessive @coach723 @azygous

She’s a barnyard mix, so I’m not really sure. She’s small, has black feathers except a ring of gold around her neck. She came from a local farm and they didn’t have any info about her really.

I have pullets right now as well, so they’re all eating 20% flock growers. They have minerals & calcium available as well, but I’ve never actually seen her eat any of them.

 

[Bokbokbokbecky]

I have a 3 year old laying hen who was acting super lethargic all day. It was stormy, so when I went out to check on the flock (they free range) and I found her huddled in the corner under cover by herself I assumed she was just sheltering from the storm. But she was there every time I went out to check on them, no matter if it was actively raining or not. The other girls would shelter when it was raining and then forage in the breaks. She even let me pick her up, which she never lets me do. Finally at bedtime she was the only hen still out of the coop when I went to lock up. I picked her up and noticed that her belly under her vent was hard. I assumed she might be egg bound so I brought her in and did an epsom salt soak for. Her for 20 min, then applied Vaseline around and inside her vent. The the internet says I should be able to feel an egg within an inch and a half or so of the opening, but that’s not where the lump is. It’s like, under her cloaca in her lower belly where her “fluffy butt” feather are. I’m starting to think she might have a different issue, but I’m not sure what. The lump is firm and roughly egg sized. I can massage it up toward her cloaca but it falls right back down towards her lower belly when I do. It’s about an hour past their bedtime now, she’s fallen asleep. I tried to get her to drink water with rooster booster and some calcium but she hasn’t had anything.

I should add, since I brought her in she has been standing in the “egg laying” pose and I can feel her muscles trembling. But the lump doesn’t feel like it’s in the right place for an egg based on the anatomy diagrams I have looked at

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I’ve never actually seen her eat any of them.

Yeah, I never see mine do either, but I know they do because the level of OS drops ever so slowly over time. It doesn't take much, it seems. Maybe one flake per egg, lol?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I should add, since I brought her in she has been standing in the “egg laying” pose and I can feel her muscles trembling. But the lump doesn’t feel like it’s in the right place for an egg based on the anatomy diagrams I have looked at

Poor thing, she sounds very uncomfortable. I'm not sure there's much you can do for her except try to keep her comfortable until an Educator comes on. I'm sorry I don't know much about this condition.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Is a vet an option?

 

[Bokbokbokbecky]

Is a vet an option?

Unfortunately not, there’s no vets in my area that take birds

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Okay. If you put your hand on the outside of her belly where you feel the lump, is it hot?

 

[Debbie292d]

and some calcium

Assuming she's egg-bound, it's recommended to give one 300mg Calcium Citrate + D3. It won't hurt her if she's not. You can give her one per day for a few days in a row. She can take it whole. Just open her beak and pop it in.