Quick! Help! Sick Hen!

[thegoldengirls]

When is the last time she layed an egg? Could she be egg bound? Does the liquid look like yolk?

 

[Kittymomma]

Soak her in a very warm, but not hot sink and gently massage around her abdomen and vent area. If she's egg bound you'll probably be able to feel it. After she's had her bath dry her off--blow dryer on low works well and surprisingly enough most of them seem to like it. Once she's dry use some vaseline (olive oil, ky, etc. if you don't have it) and rub it around and just inside her vent to soften and lube it. Put her back in the carrier and make her some nice scrambled eggs then mix a crushed tums into the eggs and see if she'll eat that. The bath will hopefully relax the muscles around the vent and along with the vaseline help to soften the skin so it will stretch easier and allow her to pass the egg. Scrambled eggs are high protien to help build up her strentgh and since they really, really like them it's usually something you can get even a bird that is feeling bad to eat. The calcium in the tums is also supposed to help with contractions to get the egg out.

 

[mrbstephens]

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I actually haven't seen her lay an egg in a long time. The liquid was clear, but is now white-ish. Basically just urine.

 

[mrbstephens]

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Thanks! I'll do that.

 

[mrbstephens]

Ok. I gave her a warm bath. While drying her, I could see that her vent looked swollen and was pulsating. I put some lubrication on it. I force fed her water with a syringe and dipped her beak in a cup of water. She was definitely drinking. When I brought her to the bathroom she pooped again....still just urine though as she hasn't eaten. I gave her scrambled egg that I'm pretty sure she ate some of. I'm letting her sleep now. Hopefully when she wakes tomorrow she'll be a little better!

 

[Kittymomma]

Sounds good, keep us updated.

 

[mrbstephens]

Well, this morning she was standing up and looking bright eyed. She ate some more scrambled egg. I brought her outside with us while the kids had their Easter egg hunt. She was pecking around and seemed fine so I let her mingle back with the flock. At first she was a little slow and would keep to herself, but I could see she was drinking a lot of water and was eating a little here and there. She sun bathed a lot. Toward the end of the day she seemed to be completely back to normal. I guess she just needed to work out whatever was making her sick. So glad she's ok! Thanks for your help everyone!

 

[Chickengal505]

(sniffle) Sorry to get off subjuct but PLEASE tell details my rode island red passed away friday night with all the same symtoms as your hen i need to know what i did wrong.

P.S These post bring terrible flash backs to me (sniffle again)