My Chicken is Egg Bound

[PatS]

She has all the symptoms. Waddle-walk, puffed up so she looks obese, but droopy all at the same time; lethargic, breathing heavy (and seems to be breathing through her backside), vent in constant motion. She's poohed some, small amounts that are normal in color but more watery.

She is sitting wrapped in a towel on my lap after soaking in a warm sink for a good thirty-five minutes. I finally was bold enough to insert a finger into her vent and I can feel it. But my finger isn't touching egg, I'm feeling it through what seems to be a membrane, so I have no idea how to help her get it out. What do I do now?



Edited to add:

It is the next day, and after 2 baths and a hot water bottle, the egg still hasn't passed. "Golden Legs" is a 52 week-old Buff Orpington. She mostly free-ranges during the day but has access to organic grow pellets. She didn't lay yesterday and may not have laid the day before. The day before that I am pretty sure she did, as I had the same number of eggs as I do chickens.

There is no vet for at least an hour's drive, and that one may not take chickens. Doesn't anyone have any advice from having been through this?

 

[PatS]

bump.

 

[Kedreeva]

I've not personally been through this but I've seen a couple threads on it and some people suggest putting a little vaseline or other lube in the vent.

You can try reading here: http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page3.htm

They've got a pretty thorough explanation.

 

[Jeeper1540]

my hen was eggbound, but unfortunately passed away, but heres the post from it. you can read what the people told me to do toward the end on the topic, as at first we didnt know what was wrong. the later posts were after we figured out what was wrong https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=352762

 

[PatS]

Thank you for your responses. I found that article last night and tried the things it made sense in my situation to do. When I felt the egg, it was through something else, so I feel that it would cause untold problems to try to break and remove the egg. I let her out today to run with the flock and she seems a little perkier and not in total discomfort, so I am going to give her a couple of hours and see how she is before "going in" again.

I live in a remote area, so the lube I used was olive oil. Probably not the best thing in the world, but I had it on hand.

Jeeper, I am sorry for your loss, thank you for trying to help with my chicken. Please keep your fingers crossed.

It sure is hard when a chicken gets sick.

Anyone more experience out there?

 

[feathersnuggles]

Give her an emergency dose of calcium, right away. Crush up a Tums or two and mix into a couple tablespoons plain active-culture yogurt. Feed her the whole thing, with your fingers if you have to. It's nice, also, to add a tiny bit of dry oatmeal to it, so that the gloppy stuff sticks to the flakes, and her beak has something to grab.

Good on the warm baths, they will relax her. The calcium should help out, too. Keep her isolated until she passes the egg.