Large vent, straining to lay...

[heiditam]

My sweet barred rock is having trouble. She is eating and drinking and getting around okay, but...

Yesterday I noticed that she was spending all day in and out of the nest. After sitting on the nest for over half and our, I went out there and monitored her. I could see her vent was large and she was pushing and straining. Every once in a while, as she pushed, she would make a little chirp...it was so pathetic. She had some caked up poop on feathers around vent. It also appeared that she had an egg sized bulge directly below it. After a while, she gave up. In the morning, I gave her a nice hot bath, and lubricated her vent area. She was still pushing and straining, but nothing was coming out. Her vent area is big and swollen. I felt the sides, and felt nothing. The bulge below her vent is soft. The whole area seems warm. Later, she passed a very large poop, which is great because all day yesterday I saw her pushing with nothing coming out. But, she has not layed and egg, but she hasn't tried to either today. I found that odd since she spent yesterday pushing in the nest. ?????

Anyhow...I am wondering what is going on with her...I figured she was egg bound with how hard she tried, and failed, to lay an egg yesterday, but I don't feel a hard egg in there. I suppose it could be ascites, but do they normally have trouble laying with that? She seems fine otherwise, but she normally lays daily, and her vent is very large...

thanks!

ETA-she is straining on the nest again right now...

 

[MrsBrooke]

I know you checked, but did you insert your first knuckle in her vent and check for an egg? You don't need to go far.

I would soak her again in warm water and add some Epsom salt. The magnesium will help the muscle relax and the egg should pop right out after a little while. She may even fall asleep while she's in the chicken spa!

Do you feel it could a possible prolapse?

MrsB

 

[heiditam]

She laid! Late yesterday after posting this she sat out there for a while and got it out it is - little bigger than her normal egg but not by much. It's also oddly speckled-she has never laid such a heavily speckled egg before! The dark specks are raised, and you can chip them off. I don't think it's prolapse-her vent was larger and swollen, but no protrusions. I am going to check her backside today-I am hoping this was a one time thing and that she doesn't have trouble laying again-hoping her vent area has shrunk-if not I am going to photo it and come back

 

[MrsBrooke]

Great news. I hope it was a one-time thing, too!

MrsB

 

[heiditam]

Thanks! She layed today too! YAY! She is a little puffy down there and is picking at it every so often, so I will keep an eye on her...

 

[MrsBrooke]

When was the last time you wormed your girls??

MrsB

 

[heiditam]

When was the last time you wormed your girls??

MrsB

Just a month ago

 

[MrsBrooke]

GREAT. <3

If she's red and swollen, you can rub something like Preparation H and mix some Turmeric in with boiled egg. Prep H takes care of inflammation on the outside, the turmeric is for the inside.

How is it today? Photo worthy?

MrsB

 

[heiditam]

GREAT. <3

If she's red and swollen, you can rub something like Preparation H and mix some Turmeric in with boiled egg. Prep H takes care of inflammation on the outside, the turmeric is for the inside.

How is it today? Photo worthy?

MrsB

Thanks so much-I really appreciate it she is less swollen everyday-still puffy but less than yesterday and less than the day before she has laid a couple times now and does not strain on the nest like before. Her vent area has rebounded enough that the feathers are covering it again so I don't think it's photo worthy I swear...I think she is too fat. I hardly ever give scraps and only give the 10 girls two handfuls of boss, and not even everyday. I expanded their day yard to a very large area in the woods, so maybe she is eating too many bugs? I don't know but she is my fattest girl and I am wondering if that was an issue for her?

 

[MrsBrooke]

Thanks so much-I really appreciate it

she is less swollen everyday-still puffy but less than yesterday and less than the day before

she has laid a couple times now and does not strain on the nest like before. Her vent area has rebounded enough that the feathers are covering it again

so I don't think it's photo worthy

I swear...I think she is too fat. I hardly ever give scraps and only give the 10 girls two handfuls of boss, and not even everyday. I expanded their day yard to a very large area in the woods, so maybe she is eating too many bugs? I don't know but she is my fattest girl and I am wondering if that was an issue for her?

Do you give them anything besides a layer ration? Scratch? Scraps? Suet blocks? Any thing?

Bugs shouldn't make your girl "fat." They're solid protein, pretty much... How does her abdomen feel? Hard? Squishy? Any odd masses?

MrsB