Pacing, panting, crying hen HELP

[chickencutie]

My buff Orpington has been on and off antibiotics and metaclopramide for a month now. She initially was cleared by the vet after 2 weeks of sulfatrim, but it recurred and she was put back on meds a week ago. Today she has been in and out of a nest box and generally running around very anxiously for HOURS. She rapidly picks at food like it’s her last meal, is constantly crying and panting. Will not sit still. No egg laid. Poop is watery like stress or over heated. She laid a normal egg yesterday and the day before. Not showing other signs of egg binding. Is this egg binding? Does she have anxiety? Is she in pain?? I’m panicking and I can’t call the vet until the morning.

 

[azygous]

Yes, pre-egg laying behavior can be just as you describe. This is normal behavior. When she enters a nest finally, settles down to lay her egg, but nothing is produced, say after an hour, then it's time to get concerned.

I always keep a bottle of calcium citrate in my run. When I know a particular hen had been in a nest earlier, but I find no evidence she laid an egg, and now she's standing still, sort of acting comatose instead of her usual busy body self, I pop one whole tablet into her beak. That will trigger contractions and get the egg out, sometimes even appearing on the floor or poop board under the perch during the night. This is what I use as it is absorbed very easily and quickly and good for reproductive crises because of that.

 

[chickencutie]

30mg isn't even in the ball park for an effective dose to treat a difficult egg. She needs at least 550 to 650mg. Get a bottle of the calcium citrate plus D from Walmart if you are able. Give one whole tablet directly into her beak. do that each day until this crisis is over. I've seen it work in as little as an hour and almost always gets resolved in 24 hours from the first calcium citrate tablet.

I came home and there was an egg! It is shelled and normally formed. Should I still give her more calcium?

 

[azygous]

Not at this time. Your hen is perfectly all right now.

Your hen was just acting nervous with the sensation of an imminent egg. You know now what is normal behavior leading to laying an egg and what sort of behavior indicates a developing problem. I suggest you get the bottle of calcium citrate and keep it in the run. If a tablet is give at the first sign of trouble, egg binding can almost always be avoided.

 

[chickencutie]

Not at this time. Your hen is perfectly all right now.

Your hen was just acting nervous with the sensation of an imminent egg. You know now what is normal behavior leading to laying an egg and what sort of behavior indicates a developing problem. I suggest you get the bottle of calcium citrate and keep it in the run. If a tablet is give at the first sign of trouble, egg binding can almost always be avoided.

Thank you for your advice, I truly appreciate it. This whole thing took about 8 hours and the poor girl must’ve been so uncomfortable. The calcium I have is calcium carbonate so I’ll try to be better prepared with calcium citrate.

 

[azygous]

Eight hours of pre-laying behavior is not normal. Very possibly a calcium citrate tablet given when you first began to suspect her behavior was excessively long and drawn out, she would have laid the egg within an hour of swallowing the pill.

If she should repeat this behavior with a similar long, drawn out episode, come back and update this thread. She may need a few days on daiiy calcium citrate to regulate her egg equipment.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

@azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[azygous]

Generally, a sick chicken is non-vocal, lethargic, stands still, usually has eyes drooping, tail held low and flat, and feathers are fluffed up. Normally sick chickens don't eat.

A chicken that is vocal and chattering, running about, eating and drinking, laying normal eggs, and interacting with her mates is a normal, healthy chicken.

 

[chickencutie]

Generally, a sick chicken is non-vocal, lethargic, stands still, usually has eyes drooping, tail held low and flat, and feathers are fluffed up. Normally sick chickens don't eat.

A chicken that is vocal and chattering, running about, eating and drinking, laying normal eggs, and interacting with her mates is a normal, healthy chicken.

She doesn’t usually act this way though. Normally she’s quiet, docile, and only get excited when it’s time to free range. This behavior is bordering panic and she seems incredibly anxious. Like she needs to lay an egg but hasn’t.

 

[chickencutie]

Yes, pre-egg laying behavior can be just as you describe. This is normal behavior. When she enters a nest finally, settles down to lay her egg, but nothing is produced, say after an hour, then it's time to get concerned.

I always keep a bottle of calcium citrate in my run. When I know a particular hen had been in a nest earlier, but I find no evidence she laid an egg, and now she's standing still, sort of acting comatose instead of her usual busy body self, I pop one whole tablet into her beak. That will trigger contractions and get the egg out, sometimes even appearing on the floor or poop board under the perch during the night. This is what I use as it is absorbed very easily and quickly and good for reproductive crises because of that. View attachment 2829485

She was put on daily calcium tabs per the vet, so she’s already had that today. The thing is, she will settle in a nest box for a little while, then come back out and pant, cry, pace, and repeat. She’s been doing this for over 6 hours today. It’s as if this is nesting behavior but it doesn’t resolve and there’s no egg. She is not lethargic by any means. Almost like she’s having a constant panic attack.