Possible internal broken egg? Ideas for treatment.

[Lilion]

So my hen isn't eating and I don't think drinking for a day or two. I went ahead and caught her and brought her in the house today, gave her a soak and washed her very yellow crusted bottom. I believe this is soft egg shell, maybe?

I'm not sure what to do to treat her. Since she's not eating at all, I bought some nutri-drench and gave her a bit by syringe. I've left more in a water dish for her. I also purchased some Probiotics but haven't given that yet. My Tractor Supply is very poorly stocked on chicken meds.

I felt her belly and vent area and its not at all distended. I didn't feel internally...I'm a bit squeemish...and really, the lack of any distension makes me pretty sure she isnt egg bound.

Any advice is welcome.

 

[Bawkbok]

After bathing her, ensure you blow dry her thoroughly given the cold weather or don't put her back outside until she is fully dry.

If she were mine, I would give her a 300 mg Calcium Citrate with D3 vitamin tablet. One a day for 5 -7 days. It can be purchased wherever vitamins are sold, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, etc. This will help with contractions to release any other shell material that may be inside her and provide an extra calcium boost. It is a large pill but they can swallow it without issue. Open her beak and pop it in. You can gently pull down on her wattles and when she opens her mouth, place it in or you can hold her under your arm like a football and open her beak with one hand and place the pill in with the other. Don't give the calcium for more than 7 days.

I would not place a finger in her vent - this is uncomfortable for them and you could accidentally tear a blood vessel.

Is she eating and drinking normally? How old is and when was the last time she laid a normal egg? Is she a new layer. New layers can sometimes lay soft shelled eggs until their body regulates which can take some time.

 

[Lilion]

After bathing her, ensure you blow dry her thoroughly given the cold weather or don't put her back outside until she is fully dry.

If she were mine, I would give her a 300 mg Calcium Citrate with D3 vitamin tablet. One a day for 5 -7 days. It can be purchased wherever vitamins are sold, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, etc. This will help with contractions to release any other shell material that may be inside her and provide an extra calcium boost. It is a large pill but they can swallow it without issue. Open her beak and pop it in. You can gently pull down on her wattles and when she opens her mouth, place it in or you can hold her under your arm like a football and open her beak with one hand and place the pill in with the other. Don't give the calcium for more than 7 days.

I would not place a finger in her vent - this is uncomfortable for them and you could accidentally tear a blood vessel.

Is she eating and drinking normally? How old is and when was the last time she laid a normal egg? Is she a new layer. New layers can sometimes lay soft shelled eggs until their body regulates which can take some time.

She's in my house, in a crate, so she's warm and fine there. She's nearly 4 years old. She'd basically stopped laying for winter about Thanksgiving. Then gave us 4 to 6 eggs in early January and stopped again.

We've noticed all our eggs are fairly thin shelled from all our hens which is odd since we give them layer feed, oyster shell is always available, and they get added mealworms and meat scraps. We've had a few soft shelled eggs too, from time, though we never knew who laid them.

I'll see about getting some calcium citrate.

 

[Bawkbok]

Layer feed typically has 16-17% protein. Most folks recommend feeding an all flock 20% protein with OS on the side, especially if you have mixed ages in your flock. Layer feed is not recommended when they are not laying.
The Calcium Citrate with D3 should help but only give when one has issues laying. It helps with contractions while trying to expel an egg or if one is experiencing soft shells, it does not force a hen to lay an egg. It should be used short term.

 

[Lilion]

Layer feed typically has 16-17% protein. Most folks recommend feeding an all flock 20% protein with OS on the side, especially if you have mixed ages in your flock. Layer feed is not recommended when they are not laying.
The Calcium Citrate with D3 should help but only give when one has issues laying. It helps with contractions while trying to expel an egg or if one is experiencing soft shells, it does not force a hen to lay an egg. It should be used short term.

Thanks again. She is more herself today, and actively resisted being picked up, which is far more her norm. She appears to be drinking the nutri-drench a bit and is pooping. Not sure what it should look like, considering she hasnt eaten since Thursday, but I'm just glad to see anything. Again, no foul smell. I did try giving her egg, with some oregano, cinnamon and cayenne...someone recommended that if I didn't have any antibiotics. She ate a couple bites, then ignored it. But showing any interest in food is an improvement and I wouldn't eat eggs with that in it either. Maybe she just didn't like it?

I did find some clyndamycin in my cabinet. I'm considering giving her some, but not sure if that's a good or bad idea. Will be heading to the store for the calcium soon.