Possible egg bound chicken

[CloneFly]

I have a 3yr old RIR hen that I found standing pinguin style in the coop tonight. I checked her vent with a glove and could feel any egg, but her posterior abdomen is hard. I'm giving her 1mL of calcium glucantate orally and have her inside for monitoring. Any suggestions on what else I can do?

 

[CCsGarden]

I have a 3yr old RIR hen that I found standing pinguin style in the coop tonight. I checked her vent with a glove and could feel any egg, but her posterior abdomen is hard. I'm giving her 1mL of calcium glucantate orally and have her inside for monitoring. Any suggestions on what else I can do?

I'm so sorry to hear about your hen!
Seems like she may have waterbelly then? She could be egg bound higher up. The way she is standing tells me she is most likely egg bound. I'd keep her inside and give her a warm epsom salt bath.

( I have had 5 hens go through egg binding problems)

 

[CCsGarden]

Also, what do her droppings look like? Has she been eating?

 

[CloneFly]

I'm so sorry to hear about your hen!
Seems like she may have waterbelly then? She could be egg bound higher up. The way she is standing tells me she is most likely egg bound. I'd keep her inside and give her a warm epsom salt bath.

( I have had 5 hens go through egg binding problems)

Thank you! I'll have to see if we have anymore epsom salt on hand, but I'll start up the warm bath right away

 

[CCsGarden]

Thank you! I'll have to see if we have anymore epsom salt on hand, but I'll start up the warm bath right away

Great!

 

[CCsGarden]

Since she is 3rys she may start having more egg problems.

 

[CloneFly]

Ok, update:

She was soaking for almost an hour and there's no progress... if anything she's worse. I still can't feel anything through her vent, but I'm pretty sure there's an egg, but it's stuck in the region below her cloaca, I just can't physically feel it with the gloves. :/

 

[CloneFly]

Palpated her abdomen further, the egg feels sideways? How would one fix that of they can't feel the egg in the vent?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a 3yr old RIR hen that I found standing pinguin style in the coop tonight. I checked her vent with a glove and could feel any egg, but her posterior abdomen is hard. I'm giving her 1mL of calcium glucantate orally and have her inside for monitoring. Any suggestions on what else I can do?

Ok, update:

She was soaking for almost an hour and there's no progress... if anything she's worse. I still can't feel anything through her vent, but I'm pretty sure there's an egg, but it's stuck in the region below her cloaca, I just can't physically feel it with the gloves. :/

I wouldn't feel inside the vent anymore. It's uncomfortable and you may push the egg further in if there's an egg.

Give the Calcium time to work. Calcium Gluconate is fine, but if you have Calcium Citrate+D3 then give her 300mg of that once daily for a week.

That's long soaking time. If she's worse after soaking, then stop soaking. Soaking can often push them over the edge.

It sounds like she's exhausted. Focus on hydration. Give her some sugar water or electrolytes. You can also provide a heating pad set on low (cover with a couple of old towels), she may want the extra warmth or not, be sure she has room to move away from the heat.

If you are feeling and egg Below the vent (as in the abdomen), then she may have laid internally or you are feeling lash material or exudes that are in the abdomen. There is no way to remove that material unless you seek vet care and have expensive risky surgery.

Provide your hen with supportive care, see that she's drinking and offer her food. Hopefully in the next hours she'll be able to expel some material.

Keep us posted.

Ok, update:

She was soaking for almost an hour and there's no progress... if anything she's worse. I still can't feel anything through her vent, but I'm pretty sure there's an egg, but it's stuck in the region below her cloaca, I just can't physically feel it with the gloves. :/

 

[CloneFly]

I wouldn't feel inside the vent anymore. It's uncomfortable and you may push the egg further in if there's an egg.

Give the Calcium time to work. Calcium Gluconate is fine, but if you have Calcium Citrate+D3 then give her 300mg of that once daily for a week.

That's long soaking time. If she's worse after soaking, then stop soaking. Soaking can often push them over the edge.

It sounds like she's exhausted. Focus on hydration. Give her some sugar water or electrolytes. You can also provide a heating pad set on low (cover with a couple of old towels), she may want the extra warmth or not, be sure she has room to move away from the heat.

If you are feeling and egg Below the vent (as in the abdomen), then she may have laid internally or you are feeling lash material or exudes that are in the abdomen. There is no way to remove that material unless you seek vet care and have expensive risky surgery.

Provide your hen with supportive care, see that she's drinking and offer her food. Hopefully in the next hours she'll be able to expel some material.

Keep us posted.

Thank you! Will do.