Need help ASAP! Constipation and bloody stool

[blinkk]

This is gross, just warning you.

One of my chickens (Buff Orpington) has been broody for almost three weeks. Today, she was out in the morning, but acting strange. I examined her closer, and found she was trying to poo. A clear liquid slowly dripped out, but no poo came out.

I grabbed a warm cloth and a q-tip and wiped her butt (it smelled horrible back there and poo was stuck to her feathers). Then she tried to poo again, and this nasty rock hard, bloody poo became visible, but it didn't leave her body. She's pushing and pushing and can't get it out. She is up and walking around which is good, but looks to be in pain.

Please help me ASAP! I'm afraid she won't survive long with excrement building up in her body. What can I do? She was born this May, and isn't even a year old yet. She's a buff orpington.

 

[blinkk]

I just read about egg bound hens. Her "rock hard stool" might really be an egg. I'm going to soak her in a tub of hot water until further notice.

 

[casportpony]

Give her some human calcium, it will help her pass the egg. Also search prolapse.

-Kathy

 

[blinkk]

It's not prolapse. Horray.

I left the house and came back, and just put her in the warm bath. She doesn't look stressed anymore. She doesn't look in pain anymore. Is it possible she laid the egg out while I was away? I'm checking her vent constantly and it looks healthy, now. She's sitting in the bathroom in the tub, so I'm going to leave her there for a half hour at least.

In the meant time, I'm going to scour the chicken coop for eggs to see if she laid one.

 

[casportpony]

Stick your finger in her vent to check for an egg.

-Kathy

 

[blinkk]

No egg in her vent. Just now she dumped a huge poo in the sink. It's gross and runny and not normal looking, but after that one came out, a bunch of normal looking poo came out. It looks like she's unclogged now. I can take it from here.

Thanks for helping me through this one, Kathy. I feel better now.
-Lindy

 

[casportpony]

Make sure she has lots of water, that will help loosen up her stool.

-Kathy

 

[blinkk]

Hey everyone, yesterday was scary. I put the chicken in our bathroom overnight with a heater, mainly so I could monitor her poo.

She hasn't stopped having diarrhea. Also, this morning, it's the same exact story as yesterday. There's a big, ugly, rock hard poo stuck in her vent that she's trying to get out. She's getting plenty of water. Does anyone know what might be doing this? She's been broody, so I'm thinking she hasn't been eating/drinking enough in the past week or so. I'm going to discourage her broodiness from now on.

This is my first time owning chickens, so I'm a little frightened! Unfortunately, I have to drive to pick up my daughter 2 hours away today, so I'll be gone for a long while. I hope she'll be okay.

 

[ajr]

I have been having the same problem with one my hens for months, only she hadn't been broody. I have cleaned her out several times and the condition always returns. Hope someone has some ideas on what is going on and how to help!!

 

[casportpony]

You both could try worming and feeding nothing but moistened crumbles.

-Kathy