How to tell if egg bound?

[coach723]

Yes, give her more calcium, another Tums. You are not going to hurt her with this, it's short term treatment, calcium issues arise from long term use of too much. If she is having trouble passing something, it will help. I suspect this is some kind of reproductive problem, but trying the calcium is logical. In laying hens over the age of two reproductive problems are not uncommon, and high laying breeds, of which she appears to be, have a higher percentage. It's often very hard to know for sure until necropsy, symptoms can be very similar. It could be internal laying, salpingitis, or a cancer. They hide symptoms really well so often it's not known until it's advanced.

 

[Bokbokbokbecky]

Yes, give her more calcium, another Tums. You are not going to hurt her with this, it's short term treatment, calcium issues arise from long term use of too much. If she is having trouble passing something, it will help. I suspect this is some kind of reproductive problem, but trying the calcium is logical. In laying hens over the age of two reproductive problems are not uncommon, and high laying breeds, of which she appears to be, have a higher percentage. It's often very hard to know for sure until necropsy, symptoms can be very similar. It could be internal laying, salpingitis, or a cancer. They hide symptoms really well so often it's not known until it's advanced.

Ok. Giving her more tums. What’s next? Do I just keep her in isolation and keep checking on her until she lays or dies?

 

[coach723]

Try to get her to take some fluids, fresh water alternated with electrolite water, pedialite or gatorade.

 

[Eggcessive]

Good advice from coach723. Has she eaten anything lately? Besides the fluids which are most important, you could offer some watery chicken feed with a little egg. The tiny poops are concerning. I would not soak her anymore, but hopefully the calcium/Tums will stimulate her to pass an egg or lash egg. Egg bound hens cannot pass droppings. What state are you in? Necropsies through the state vet are a good way to know what was going on inside a hen that dies. A necropsy done at home can sometimes give some information especially if you take some pictures of abdominal organs to post here.

 

[Bokbokbokbecky]

Good advice from coach723. Has she eaten anything lately? Besides the fluids which are most important, you could offer some watery chicken feed with a little egg. The tiny poops are concerning. I would not soak her anymore, but hopefully the calcium/Tums will stimulate her to pass an egg or lash egg. Egg bound hens cannot pass droppings. What state are you in? Necropsies through the state vet are a good way to know what was going on inside a hen that dies. A necropsy done at home can sometimes give some information especially if you take some pictures of abdominal organs to post here.

No change, still in isolation. She’s eaten a little and been drinking. I’ve given her more calcium. So no egg and no more poop since this morning. The lump under her vent is still there and hasn’t moved

 

[dalvarez27]

What's the latest on your hen? Is she any better?

 

[Bokbokbokbecky]

I had her inside for 3 days and by day 3 her personality came back and she no longer wanted me to touch her or mess with her. There’d been no change to her squatting, or the lump in her belly. But she’d pooped in tiny amounts and was eating and drinking more or less normally so I put her back with the rest of the flock because she seemed so stressed locked inside. Since then, I’ve been giving her extra calcium supplements and keeping her separate for about an hour in the mornings when I let everyone out of the coop to give her a chance to drink the vitamins and eat on her own, and then I let her join her flockmates. She’s still squatting a lot and waddling when she walks but she’s active with the other girls and no one is picking on her so…I guess she’ll either get better or she won’t at this point.