Lost 2 eggbound hens, what am I missing?

[referencewench]

Hi all,
After 2 years of totally healthy girls we've lost 2 in less than 3 months. Both appeared to be egg bound, but I can't say for sure. The first we gave a warm bath and she drank some water with apple cider vinegar. She improved slightly and then died overnight. The second passed sometime last night or early this morning. I noticed she was moving slow, but wasn't quite sure what was up. It was late, so I let her go to bed, clearly a mistake.

We feed King brand layer crumbles and supplement with limited scratch and occasionally salad greens or veg cuttings. The girls free range in the late afternoon around our yard otherwise they are up in a fenced area during the day. We put out oyster shell for them, but I can't tell if they ever actually eat any of it.

Worried this be becoming a trend, and if perhaps I should be giving additional calcium? I see no sign of pests or worms, so I'm at a bit of a loss.

Thanks!

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi there. I'm sorry for your loss. There are a lot of things that can make them behave the way you describe. Were they eating and drinking? What about pooping?

If they were eggbound then you should be able to feel an egg if you carefully pick them up and lightly run your hand between their legs. A warm soak with Epsom salts and some calcium usually works pretty well. I think I left my hen in the tub for at least 20 or 30 minutes. You can repeat the soak if you need to. I gave my gal some finely crushed oyster shell in a hard boiled egg yolk that I mashed up.

 

[Homesteadermomma6382]

Ive always been able to tell if one of my girls.is egg bound because she walks around and squats all the time lime she needs to poop. I imagine it feel sort of like constipation. I had one girl that was chronically egg bound. She layed giant eggs. There was several times I had to digitally assist her in laying.

 

[referencewench]

One has definitely been laying some large hard eggs. Her belly felt soft but full, I checked her vent and it looked clean, no sign of problems, but she did look like she was straining. I put some more oyster shell out today, hopefully this isn't something else.

We "inherited" 6 chickens from the previous owners of our house and both have been their hens. I don't know how well they were fed or cared for before us, so it's possible I guess there were early dietary issues. Our 4 are much bigger than the others

 

[referencewench]

Hi there. I'm sorry for your loss. There are a lot of things that can make them behave the way you describe. Were they eating and drinking? What about pooping?

If they were eggbound then you should be able to feel an egg if you carefully pick them up and lightly run your hand between their legs. A warm soak with Epsom salts and some calcium usually works pretty well. I think I left my hen in the tub for at least 20 or 30 minutes. You can repeat the soak if you need to. I gave my gal some finely crushed oyster shell in a hard boiled egg yolk that I mashed up.

I didnt notice the most recent one was having any issues at all until I found her laying down yesterday evening. Even then she got up and had some water

 

[NatJ]

After 2 years of totally healthy girls we've lost 2 in less than 3 months.

Do you know how old the chickens were?

Some chickens can live 10+ years, but some other kinds seem prone to reproductive problems at a much younger age.

 

[igorsMistress]

I didnt notice the most recent one was having any issues at all until I found her laying down yesterday evening. Even then she got up and had some water

That's how it works sometimes. They are very good at hiding things.

 

[referencewench]

Do you know how old the chickens were?

Some chickens can live 10+ years, but some other kinds seem prone to reproductive problems at a much younger age.

They were both about a year old. All our girls are under 2.

 

[Homesteadermomma6382]

How is your girl doing?

 

[PioneerChicks]

I have had a simpler problem happen recently. I have never had health issues before, and finally after I've been keeping chickens for seven years I get my first problems. My chickens did have bird lice, so that might have weakened them a bit. Anyways, I had 4 eggbound hens within just a couple months of each other, all died. One of them may have had Lash Egg. I give my hens plenty of calcium and they aren't extra fat. I don't know what is going on, but currently going out to the coop and finding an eggbound hen is my worst fear.

I know how it feels, @referencewench, hugs for you