I think my Buff Ruby is EGGBOUND.....***HELP***

[cyndiandthan]

So pretty sure my buff hen is egg bound. We just returned late Tuesday from a 10 day vacation and had a neighbor chicken sitting for us. Yesterday I went out to check them and I noticed she had some feathers missing and her bottom area under vent looked a little pink-er than normal....it did not appear to be swollen, so I thought maybe another one of the girls had picked at her or something while we were away. This evening when I checked them I found more feathers and she is pink, feels full, and swollen under her vent. Also the area is warmer than normal to the touch, which has me more worried. (I will try to upload a picture as soon asn I can) It is basically and egg sized swelling at the bottom under her vent. Her vent appears to look completely normal (no blood, discharge or redness the vent itself doesn't look that swollen to me either). I brought her inside and soaked her in warm water and then dried her and placed he in a dog kennel in a quiet place. After placing her in the kennel I have noticed her posture is odd and he tail is down, I think I remember reading this as a symptom, also she seems to be straining to lay maybe. Her stool is normal but runny immediately after her soak, no blood or redness in her stool at all, Wondering if the water from the soak was reason behind it being so runny?

Also about 5 wks ago we lost another hen, she laid a bloody egg and was dead 12 hours later. Im so confused why this is happening and what is going on. I will also add that I recently purchased a different brand of feed around the same time, since our normal feed was sold out. Im curious if this has any relation to why my girls are having issues. We have been keeping chickens for about 2 yrs and haven't ever had any issues but a new feed and they start having issues laying and becoming egg bound or prolapsed.

Please any advice or help is welcome, Im not sure how else to help her.
Thanks

 

[Kiki]

I'm sorry your girls are giving you trouble.

When you were soaking her did you check inside for an egg?
Is this new feed a layer type feed with calcium?

 

[cyndiandthan]

Here is pic

 

[Kiki]

Are they...were they (while you were gone) getting enough water each day?
Dehydration can cause symptoms like this too.
Have you seen this wonderful article yet:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/egg-binding-symptoms-treatment-and-prevention.66978/

 

[cyndiandthan]

No I did not check for an egg, not sure how to do this and definitely don't want to break it if there is one?

They are on Layer feed I don't believe it has added calcium, we give them oyster shell.

Definitely not dehydrated there are on an automatic waterer and had plenty of water in it when we got home and checked.

 

[Kiki]

Check out that article..it has great "instructions".

 

[cyndiandthan]

yes our feed does have added calcium doubled checked

 

[Kiki]

yes our feed does have added calcium doubled checked

Usually all layer feed has calcium, I was just trying to make sure your "new" feed was a layer feed.

 

[cyndiandthan]

Ok so I just used my finger to check for an egg and and can't feel anything?
Thoughts?

 

[Kiki]

Basically yes...you would need to lube up and check.

If you don't feel one she isn't egg bound, an we start trying to find a different solution.

Vet would be my next choice.