Need help with eggbound Leghorn

[Cyprus]

Super cold snap last night (-48 w/ windchill) and this girl has been laying soft eggs for the past few days.
Today she is eggbound with a large, soft shell egg.
How can I help her?
She got her epsom soak, probing shows egg has no shell all around. Egg is right at the opening, I can see it.

Labored breathing, more pics to come.

 

[Cyprus]

She laid it in the bath.
Now our concern is her frozen solid huge comb, which is slowly turning black.

 

[staceyj]

She needs several days of calcium supplementation.

Keep her inside.

As far as the comb, don’t rub it.
gently apply some vaseline or other soothing balm.
if the tissue is too damaged it will shrivel up and fall off, but some recover and heal.

 

[staceyj]

Could you post some more pictures of the comb close up?

Looks like she’ll lose the tips.

 

[WindingRoad]

View attachment 1658150 View attachment 1658151
She laid it in the bath.
Now our concern is her frozen solid huge comb, which is slowly turning black.

Glad it worked out literally. Do you feed OS? Is she your only soft egg layer? Didn't you have a pic here the other day of a soft egg? I'm really nosey this morning.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Super cold snap last night (-48 w/ windchill) and this girl has been laying soft eggs for the past few days.
Today she is eggbound with a large, soft shell egg.
How can I help her?
She got her epsom soak, probing shows egg has no shell all around. Egg is right at the opening, I can see it.
View attachment 1658119
Labored breathing, more pics to come.

View attachment 1658150 View attachment 1658151
She laid it in the bath.
Now our concern is her frozen solid huge comb, which is slowly turning black.

It's good that she was able to expel that egg! Does it seem as if any of the contents spilled into the oviduct? Does she have any discharge?
I would give her 1/2 tablet of Caltrate daily for a week. I like to give mine a direct dose of poultry vitamins for a couple of days too. (Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell - 1cc per 3 pounds of weight).

For the comb, leave it alone. Let her warm up. Don't rub it or apply anything. Tips that are frostbitten will eventually die, dry up and fall off (self dub).

 

[Cyprus]

Could you post some more pictures of the comb close up?

Looks like she’ll lose the tips.

Out of the house now, pics later

Glad it worked out literally. Do you feed OS? Is she your only soft egg layer? Didn't you have a pic here the other day of a soft egg? I'm really nosey this morning.

Yes, I guess she isn't eating it.
She is my only soft egg layer
Yup, the other thread was me.

It's good that she was able to expel that egg! Does it seem as if any of the contents spilled into the oviduct? Does she have any discharge?
I would give her 1/2 tablet of Caltrate daily for a week. I like to give mine a direct dose of poultry vitamins for a couple of days too. (Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell - 1cc per 3 pounds of weight).

For the comb, leave it alone. Let her warm up. Don't rub it or apply anything. Tips that are frostbitten will eventually die, dry up and fall off (self dub).

No discharge. She is very shaky. Very tired.

 

[staceyj]

If you are feeding layer feed, it has a minimum required “dose” of calcium in it.

Providing free choice oyster shell is recommended.

However... some hens for whatever reason, don’t eat it.

An alternative is to feed back your chickens egg shells. Rinse and save them up in a ziplock bag in the fridge until you have enough to bother with.

Rinse again and spread out on a big baking sheet.

I bake mine at 300 for five minutes, then 200 for another 15-20.

After they cool I put them in a new bag, zip it shut and bash them with a wooden spoon.

Lol. It’s very cathartic!

Some chickens love this.

But others have an issue where they don’t process calcium properly.

That’s why I’d give a human calcium +D supplement (like caltrate) for severa days to a week, or if you can’t get that, a crushed tums mixed with yogurt.

 

[WindingRoad]

Out of the house now, pics later


Yes, I guess she isn't eating it.
She is my only soft egg layer
Yup, the other thread was me.


No discharge. She is very shaky. Very tired.

Seems you got some good advice. Hope her egg factory gets fixed. LOL

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Out of the house now, pics later
Yes, I guess she isn't eating it.
She is my only soft egg layer
Yup, the other thread was me.

No discharge. She is very shaky. Very tired.

I would keep her inside for a while. Being shaky is not too good. When you get back home, see if she will drink for you. Hydration first, you know that Then offer her a little food.
Soft shelled egg can be from a number of things, hopefully extra calcium will help remedy this. Some other causes are heavy infestation of parasites (mites/lice/worms), shell gland defect/reproductive disorder and stress (weather/flock disruptions, etc.).

How old is she?