Perdue: Just found part of soft shell in her poop? Good or Bad?

[tysonandperdue]

PLEASE HELP. I went out to the chicken coop this morning and found Perdue (my hen) softly crying. I think she is eggbound. Her abdomen is very full and drooping and I believe I feel an egg. She is five years old and lays sporadically - off and on every week or so. She laid an egg a few days ago.

She will eat grapes and scrambled eggs mixed in her chicken food and she can still walk okay.

I put her in the sink with warm water to try to get her to expel the egg (no luck). I also put a little warm sudsy water into her (enema) to see if that would help. (No luck again). She is pooping but is it very watery with some poop in it (but NO blood).

Her adbomen is NOT prolapsed.

Right now, I have her in my bathroom with a nest box which she is now in.

I placed a call to my emergency doctor but since it is Sunday, no one is answering. Is there anything else I can do in the meantime?

 

[Wes in Tx]

You are doing the correct thing. Keep putting her in warm water every hour are so. Do it for 3-4 minutes at a time and ten back in the nest box. DO NOT put any suddys water inside her. You can use mineral oil to go in and try to lube things up. IT could also be that she has become an enternal layer but it does sound more like she is egg bound.

 

[tysonandperdue]

Thank you Wes. I'll put her in warm water once more tonight and put some mineral oil in her and hope this does the trick.

The vet just called. She wants me to try to expel the egg myself with my finger and mineral oil. I'm not going to try to do this tonight. I'm going to see what happens overnight. I'm hoping Perdue will expel the egg during the night.

She has at least stopped crying and she is eating and pooping and walking around. Now I will hope and pray.

God Bless You my old friend. (Remember me?)

Betty

 

[tysonandperdue]

My vet just left. She tried feeling for the egg and said she thought she felt two small eggs but couldn't expel any. She said it feels like muscus membrane holding the egg but is not quite sure as she has never done this procedure before.

She said she didn't think Perdue is eggbound but said it could be an ectopic egg. She suggested an x-ray. I am waiting for a call back from her. She is trying to find a vet who will xray her.

What can be done if it is an internal egg?

I keep giving her in warm baths about 3xday. Is there anything else I can do?

 

[dlhunicorn]

here is an article written by an avian vet over eggbinding problems (perhaps print out for your vet?)
http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00352.htm
The same principles of treatment apply to a chicken. In all the articles I have ever read on eggbound problems they have advised giving calcium gluconate and here is where you can purchase that:
http://www.ronsvetsupply.com/calgluc500ml.html

Here is my collected info on reproductive disorders and disease:
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=emergencies&action=display&num=1165115215

I do hope you are able to help her!

 

[cookinmom]

What makes this happen? Are there things we can do to prevent egg binding and ectopic eggs?

 

[tysonandperdue]

Thank you dlhunicorn for the websites you gave me to review.

I have a humidifier running with Perdue. I'm giving her warm baths 3xday as Wes said to do. I have her in a warm room. I have ac (mother's) in her water along with a bit of honey. I also have been giving her Ensure with yougart mixed in. She doesn't drink much of it but every little bit of calcium helps. I went to the pharmacy to buy a liquid calcium supplement but they don't sell any. I'll try a health food store tonight or tomorrow.

I am still waiting for my vet to call to schedule an x-ray.

I think I have done everything I can do for the time being. If there is anything else anyone can suggest that I can do, please let me know.

Thank you all.

 

[keljonma]

When our Silver Laced Wyandotte became egg bound, we found she became too stressed by the warm water soaks.

I wrapped a heating pad in a towel and put it on a low setting and placed it under some nesting material for her. She laid an egg about 8 hours later.

Good luck!
regards,
keljonma

 

[tysonandperdue]

I'm so glad you had luck.

Perdue isn't stressing from the warm water, in fact I think she likes it and the extra attention she's been getting.

So far, no luck. I am taking her for an x-ray tomorrow morning. I'll let everyone know the results.

Thank you for all your help.

 

[keljonma]

Let us know what you find out. Hopefully, the vet will think of something inspirational.