Mortality rate in treatment of egg bound chicken

[LaFleche]

It just occured to me that some time ago we had one BYC member bring her hen to the vet for an x-ray and the vet diagnosed a stuck egg/tumor because the gizzard containing grit was erroneously seen by them as egg/tumour looking at the picture.

Could you upload the x-ray of your hen for us to see?

 

[coach723]

Weird things happen sometimes, but I find it really hard to accept that egg binding, anywhere in the oviduct, could go on this long without the bird dieing.

 

[chicki291]

It just occured to me that some time ago we had one BYC member bring her hen to the vet for an x-ray and the vet diagnosed a stuck egg/tumor because the gizzard containing grit was erroneously seen by them as egg/tumour looking at the picture.

Could you upload the x-ray of your hen for us to see?

For some reason they did not give me the xray. Very frustrating!!

But she did mention that she could clearly see the egg, and that it previously had a crack in it which got covered with more shell

She also mentioned that even though it isn’t as common, eggs can get stuck in the hen for way longer than a few days, as we can see with my hen!
But it really got me thinking that there has to be something preventing that egg from moving

I guess I just never realised how complicated our hens’ systems really are

 

[chicki291]

Weird things happen sometimes, but I find it really hard to accept that egg binding, anywhere in the oviduct, could go on this long without the bird dieing.

That’s exactly what I thought too. But i’m guessing that egg bound hens usually die due to not being able to poop? But my hen is still able to - extremely weird

I did try to manoeuvre the egg (or whatever it is at this point) down towards her vent. Her vent does start moving like when a chicken wants to poop / lay, but it’s like the egg immediately moves right back up to where it was

 

[LaFleche]

For some reason they did not give me the xray. Very frustrating!!

Well, just ask for it. You have a right to it as you are the one paying for it.
They can even send it per Email in no time.

 

[LaFleche]

I did try to manoeuvre the egg (or whatever it is at this point) down towards her vent. Her vent does start moving like when a chicken wants to poop / lay, but it’s like the egg immediately moves right back up to where it was

The egg might have slipped into the abdominal cavity through a small hole in the oviduct.

Many years ago I had this happen with one of my hens, wondering what was going on. When I realized where the unretrievable egg was situated, I just let her back with her flock and she lived some more months until it became obvious that it was time for me to prevent her from suffering.

I performed a home necropsy and even found the rupture in her oviduct as well as some more yolks in her body cavity.

 

[coach723]

I recently necropsied a bird for a friend, that had died, had non-specific symptoms of balance issues, was pooping, owner was worried about Marek's. The hen was egg bound and the egg was really stuck, I couldn't manually move it, I had to cut the oviduct to remove it. It was a perfectly normal egg, and I've no idea why it wouldn't move. Sadly, I didn't see the bird, or know about it, until she'd already passed. Despite being able to pass droppings (the egg was stuck high enough in the oviduct that it didn't stop droppings from passing), she died within about 24 hours from start of obvious illness, based on information I was given. Sometimes root causes are really hard to know for sure until necropsy, sadly.
I hope you can get the xray.

 

[chicki291]

The egg might have slipped into the abdominal cavity through a small hole in the oviduct.

Many years ago I had this happen with one of my hens, wondering what was going on. When I realized where the unretrievable egg was situated, I just let her back with her flock and she lived some more months until it became obvious that it was time for me to prevent her from suffering.

I performed a home necropsy and even found the rupture in her oviduct as well as some more yolks in her body cavity.

I’m so sorry for your loss but thank you so much for this useful information
I’m also thinking that my hen’s time might be near, poor thing

Do you know if the rupture in the oviduct would be visible on an x-ray?

I might take her somewhere next week, unfortunately our vet is closed over the weekend. I’m thinking to let them do the procedure - rather try and fail than not try and wondering if it could have helped

 

[chicki291]

I recently necropsied a bird for a friend, that had died, had non-specific symptoms of balance issues, was pooping, owner was worried about Marek's. The hen was egg bound and the egg was really stuck, I couldn't manually move it, I had to cut the oviduct to remove it. It was a perfectly normal egg, and I've no idea why it wouldn't move. Sadly, I didn't see the bird, or know about it, until she'd already passed. Despite being able to pass droppings (the egg was stuck high enough in the oviduct that it didn't stop droppings from passing), she died within about 24 hours from start of obvious illness, based on information I was given. Sometimes root causes are really hard to know for sure until necropsy, sadly.
I hope you can get the xray.

Ah I feel so bad for these poor hens
But it’s so strange to me that this hen hasn’t passed yet, if I do say so myself

 

[chicki291]

Hi everyone - just a little update
She went into surgery today, and they thought that it was a rotten egg, but turns out that her stomach content went rotton, and there was no egg. Her stomach was full of grass and dirt and so on, which eventually fermented
Crazy!
So she had her stomach flushed, and is staying there for the night
Luckily she woke up from the anaesthesia and is doing okay
Will keep you guys updated
Really hoping she pulls through!