I'm really worried about my hen, possible egg bound?

[Xtineart]

I'm getting increasingly worried about my beautiful 2 year old.
She's not laid for a month as far as I can tell, and is seeming increasingly clingy and lethargic.

She doesn't want to preen or bathe herself in dirt, or sunbathe like the others, and just stands by my kitchen door all day. She's been putting herself to 'bed' in the coop earlier and earlier at nights. She's always been a really picky eater but now only wants grapes and oatmeal and ignores the rest of her food, I've even tried a little olive oil soaked eggy bread but she barely touched it. I've been feeling her and bathing her and she doesn't seem egg bound to me, although her bottom under her vent is hard and I think swollen. She's not been losing any weight and was at the vet just 3 weeks ago with her symptoms. She was given a course of wormer and some antibiotics and her stool checked for disease. She just hasnt perked up any.
Her droppings first alerted me a month ago, they are usually just runny, small and pale watery or watery white/yellow, a couple of times she'll pass a little of the stinky brown stuff, but mostly it's the runny yellow poo. It seems as though she's constipated and she'll has claggy feathers under her bum.

I've spent another day bathing her and massaging her, and trying to work vaseline into her bum, although now I can't even seem to get the vent to open enough to get the tip of a finger inside (gross I know). I put her down and she just stands there and pumps her tail up and down but no egg. no poo. nothing.

She's a proper star, putting up with me poking and prodding at her all day long and she'll fall asleep in my lap afterwards, but nothing seems to be working.

I'm flat broke right now too after a £100 vet bill fer her a few weeks ago and cant even afford to take her back even if I wanted to. My card would bounce. I need to sort this thing myself, and I think I need to sort it soon.

I love the little feathery sweetheart, I cant bear the thought I might be losing her to something.

help.

 

[Eggcessive]

These newer symptoms suggest possible egg yolk peritonitis, internal laying, or ascites (fluid in the belly.) There is not much to do unless you want to treat with antibiotics such as penicillin or Baytril. If there is fluid in her belly, the abdomen may look very tight, and fluid can be removed by inserting an 18 gauge needle every few days to drain it off to make her more comfortable. There also could be a tumor. Here is a link to read: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...scites-and-eggbound-what-is-wrong-with-my-hen

 

[casportpony]

These might help you to check for an egg or masses.

-Kathy

 

[ruffles]

Epsom salt soaks in warm water really help, and I use oneteasoonof epsom salt to several ounces of warm water syring in mouth, careful ot to cause aspration pneumonia, hod oh, boy the red tthings under her beak, and her mouth will pen have someone help you, I am not an advocate of going into the vent somedo, I feel it causes more harm and it is very

 

[Eggcessive]

Epsom salts used orally will cause diarrhea. It is very good to use as a soak or bath.

 

[casportpony]

Epsom salt soaks in warm water really help, and I use oneteasoonof epsom salt to several ounces of warm water syring in mouth, careful ot to cause aspration pneumonia, hod oh, boy the red tthings under her beak, and her mouth will pen have someone help you, I am not an advocate of going into the vent somedo, I feel it causes more harm and it is very

It's much safer than giving epsom salts orally. Truth be told I do it to almost daily... Not to the same hen, but different ones, it helps me keep track of who's laying what.

-Kathy

 

[Xtineart]

she's had a course of baytril just 2 weeks ago and was given worming and mite treatment at the same time, the stool sample at the vet showed no sign of parasites or bacterial infection, and her temperature was normal when taken by the vet. I'm just convinced she's not 'right'. Just looked outside and she's not up and about like the other girl yet but don't want to go and shake her up. Might try bathing her again this morning although it's definitely more her 'tummy' where her intestines are that's hard and swollen than further up as I guess an egg would be. Could it just be constipation from getting used to a free range diet?

 

[casportpony]

she's had a course of baytril just 2 weeks ago and was given worming and mite treatment at the same time, the stool sample at the vet showed no sign of parasites or bacterial infection, and her temperature was normal when taken by the vet. I'm just convinced she's not 'right'. Just looked outside and she's not up and about like the other girl yet but don't want to go and shake her up. Might try bathing her again this morning although it's definitely more her 'tummy' where her intestines are that's hard and swollen than further up as I guess an egg would be. Could it just be constipation from getting used to a free range diet?

Do the cloacal exam.

-Kathy

 

[Xtineart]

it was worse than I thought. I'm in bits. Just back from the vets where she's had to be put to sleep as she'd developed egg peritonitis and must have been in awful pain. It was the kindest thing.

 

[casportpony]

it was worse than I thought. I'm in bits. Just back from the vets where she's had to be put to sleep as she'd developed egg peritonitis and must have been in awful pain. It was the kindest thing.

So sorry.

Take care of yourself and know that there isn't much that can be done for egg yolk peritonitis.

-Kathy