Please help. I have no idea what to do.

[epitidios]

I had a hen with vent gleet which lost a lot of weight. The last few days she started recovering, and she seemed to be getting back in shape, since she started gaining weight. I just saw her now in great pain, and I checked with her. I saw that she has an egg inside her, and it is really difficult to come out. Any idea what can I do to help her? It seems that the path the egg follows is either a bit blocked, or distorted by something. I really need some help here.


Thanx a lot in advance.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Putting her in hot moist enviorment should help her pass the egg. Run the shower and put her in the bathroom with door closed.

 

[epitidios]

Thanx a lot. This sound like a plan. But will this ensure that this won't happen again? I mean is there any treatment for this condition?

 

[chuckzoo]

You could also try lubricating the vent area with olive or any other oil to help the egg slide.

The warm moist environment is your best bet. If you do put her in the bathroom with the shower turned on to create steam make sure it is dark and she has a comfortable place like a box/crate etc to lay her egg.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Fill your sink or a rubbermaid dishpan with warm (not hot) water. Soak her bottom for at least 10 minutes. Then take her out and check her vent. You may have to do this several times. The water helps relax them. Sometimes when they push you can feel back behind the egg from the outside and help by squeezing just a little. Careful with that maneuver - be very gentle. If the skin inside her vent is obstructing the egg coming out, you may be able to put your finger up inside and push the skin back to clear the path for the egg.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

You will also want to keep her in a darkened area for a couple of weeks. Maybe she can be in a hutch in your house or in a shed. You want to keep her from laying for a while to give her a chance to heal.

 

[epitidios]

I tried soaking her in water. She seemed a bit relaxed, but still nothing has happened. How many times do I have to do this, to help her lay this egg? What are the other options? When I had inside the water I think that the egg was moving outwards, since she was a bit in pain or looked like this. She was closing her eyes.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i would try the warm soak several times. When you take her out you might want to use a warm blow dryer on her bottom to dry it off and to keep the area warm. Lube the vent with ky jelly or vaseline. If she can't pass it and you can see the egg in her vent, you can puncture it with a sharp object then suction the liquid out with a syringe. That will collapse the egg and make it easier to pass. i've never done this myself but my vet has and she gave me these instructions for when this happens when she isn't available. i told her i heard that this risks the shell cutting the insides. She said she's done this hundreds of times without a problem, and that a hen can die from not being able to pass an egg. So if you find yourself out of options and the hen becomes too fatigued to push anymore, i would try this.

 

[epitidios]

I tried again (soaking in warm water), but the egg does not seem to move outwards at all. Is it possible that the process of laying stopped because it's getting dark now? How long she gets to live if the egg stays inside her?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Getting dark shouldn't stop the laying process. It might actually help as the hen should relax with the darkness. i wouldn't worry about it unless she shows signs of stress, like continued straining, open mouth breathing, fatigue, and listlessness.