May Have to Put Down Egg Bound Hen :(

[Atrayu]

I am posting as a last attempt to help my egg bound buff orpington "Buffy".
She has been egg bound for three days now and is getting weaker.

I have gotten on the threads here to follow some of the suggestions. She has had several sitz baths, many massages. We have put lube/oil in and around her vent. I have fed her oatmeal, vitamin D3, yogurt, and still no luck in passing the egg. After each procedure, she feels a little better. She will eat, walk around a bit, but then goes back to the nesting box and tries to lay that egg. She lays every day, so I am afraid that there will be more eggs logged jammed in her. She has begun to prolapse and I keep tucking it back in.
I haven't gone into her vent to try to pull out the egg or break it up.
I called the vet and he was going to charge $150 to break it up and remove it.

If anyone has any last minute suggestions or advice, I would appreciate it. I don't want to see her suffer, but hate the thought of putting her down.
I appreciate any recommendations.
Mark

 

[Atrayu]

I forgot to mention that my hens get plenty of calcium (layer pellets, oyster shells mixed in feed, etc). She could have been overweight though.

 

[Prisserbabe]

i wish i knew what to do...

it seems like you tried everything and she is in a lot of pain and unless you wish to pay $150 you might as well put her out of her misery...

 

[speckledhen]

You have to go into the vent and try to remove it. Lube up your finger and go in, upward toward the oviduct. Best NOT to break the egg if you don't have to do it. KY lubricant or mineral oil or even just veg oil will work. If that doesn't work and you can't take her to the vet, probably best to put her down, sad to say. The egg may be too large to pass at all.

 

[Davian]

Yeah, go for it. If the only other option is culling, its worth a shot.

 

[Atrayu]

Thank you so much for the comments.

I did try to go up her vent to move the egg, but it was huge. She was really screaming out when I attempted this and I was really worried about breaking the egg. She usually gives double yolk eggs and they are the largest of the eggs of any of my hens.
Thanks again.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm really sorry. Sometimes, we feel so helpless. I lost a Delaware hen when a humongous egg-within-an-egg dropped into her abdomen and it was hopeless.

 

[7L Farm]

I lost one of mine to this. I took her to an avian vet he said the egg had dried up & she couldn't pass the egg. So, he lubed the egg inside her & she passed it & layed one more egg & then another egg broke inside her. Back to the vet he explained that it would probably be best to put her down because she would probably continue getting egg bound & lead a painful life. So, I let the vet put her down.
Never thought I'd miss a chicken but to this day I still think about her. RIP Little Baby.

 

[Atrayu]

Thank you all for sharing your stories. It is sad to lose a hen in this way.
Buffy has been one of my best egg layers. Double yolkers and eggs the size of duck/goose eggs at times.

Working with her for the last couple of days has created a bigger emotional connection than I thought could happen.
I understand know how hard it is to lose them when we get attached.
Its great to hear from folks who understand the situation.
thank you