Orpington hen in trouble, not pooping

[AlexandrainMA]

My buff orpington was listless for a day or two, was not flocking. Yesterday she did not leave the coop. I brought her inside in the hospital cage and am keeping her warm.

I can't feel a stuck egg, but she has only pooped once in 24 hours and that was yesterday. It was very dry. She is not eating. Her vent is not protruding or prolapsed, I can see moisture inside. It is not red or inflamed. No egg yesterday, none today.

I am going to assume this is a bound egg until I know better, and I am going to soak her butt in warm water for a half hour. It can't hurt. Any advice would be appreciated! She is such a good girl.

Please advise!I am new to chickens and want to be responsible.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I would also soak her in a warm bath, several times if needed.

My concern from my impression of your post is that she is probably not drinking, in addition to not eating.

I would start working really hard to get her to drink, even if you have to put water on her beak with a dropper. And maybe you can put something in the water like honey or gatorade so it will give her a little nutrition too.

 

[Country4ever]

I would try to get some olive oil down her too. I find olive oil very medicinal.
Also......is her abdomen swollen?

 

[hinkjc]

Can you explain her coop behavior more? She is sounding like a broody hen to me, but I don't want to pass off something that could be more serious. To determine if she is broody, we'd need more details on her behavior while she was in the coop.

 

[favoritekitty]

If she were broody, could Alex give her an egg to see what she does with it? My broody girls *always* scoop an egg under them if they are in a broody mood.

 

[AlexandrainMA]

All she was doing in the coop was standing up on a roosting bar. She wasn't in the hay laying areas at all. I can't tell if she is drinking, but she is sure not eating.

I sat her butt in warm water for a half hour and gently massaged her belly. No egg, no egg lump. Right now I have her in the hospital cage with a small space heater blowing on her gently because it is probably 60 degrees here and showering on and off. She is standing up in front of it drying off.

She does have a bowl of water and a bowl of pellets in her cage, also a small amount of crumbled hot dog bun. She hasn't touched the food.

 

[AlexandrainMA]

oops! Forgot. No, her abdomen does not appear to be swollen.

 

[AlexandrainMA]

She passed the egg! It is in pieces, but she passed it after I took someone's advice and had her stand in a bathtub full of warm water for an hour. Now, I guess I have to worry about any pieces that did not pass...

 

[Country4ever]

you might also put some preparation H cream up her vent to decrease swelling.

 

[PunkinPeep]

so glad you're on the way to recovery!

congratulations!