Shell-less egg passed, hen lethargic =(

[Wendy Bee]

Hey there ~
One of our favorite chickens, Dolly, an Easter Egger (4.5 yrs old) didn't come up on the ramp as she always does for treats when the flock came in this evening. She looked out of sorts, and as the others were munching up scratch, she went into a nesting box. I did my end of day things and went to check on her. She tends to have a poopy bottom (I clean it every now and then, but no evidence of parasites or illness), so I got some medical gloves, gathered her up to give her a wash and see what might be going on.

I cleaned her up using diluted Dawn and a gentle nail brush (just on the feathers) and gave her a rinse. Felt around her vent and didn't feel an egg, but did see what looks like an egg membrane sticking out of her vent (pic below). Dried her off and returned her to the nesting box, but she went back into the run and perched with the others (they typically roost in the run on raised logs - ours is a raised coop at the end of a predator-proof run and they prefer the open air to the coop). I went back to the nesting box and found the shell-less egg (pic below). Maybe could see just one little piece of shell in the egg she laid.

So

Do I do anything? Is there anything to do? I pulled very gently on what looked like shell membrane, and her vent started to protrude, so I stopped.

I do have 'fish' antibiotics in the house (a variety of types in capsule form). Should I try dosing her with something? I can mix capsule powder in with stick blended canned cat food and administer with a syringe.

She's such a sweet girl, I'd hate to see her suffer, but if there's anything we can do, I'd like to try. Just to put a monkey wrench in things, I have to be away tomorrow all day (unavoidable trip) and my 16 yo daughter will be watching over her tomorrow.

Thanks for any councel.

Dolly is the yellow EE on the left in the last pic

 

[Eggcessive]

Give her a human calcium tablet with vitamin d tonight to help her expel the egg membrane. I might keep her separated in a dog crate overnight to observe her. Offer fluids as well.

 

[Eggcessive]

She probably has had an egg break inside. Antibiotics might be good to start. Be sure to clean up her vent when she has a messy one, since flies may lay maggot eggs on poop. That is known as flystike and you would see maggots moving around.

 

[Wendy Bee]

Thanks - I gave her a 650 mg Citrical and 250 mg of Amoxicillin just a few minutes ago. I may go back and spray her bottom with Vetericyn.

I blended well the contents of two, 500mg Amoxicillin capsules with coconut oil, put in the freezer, and then divided into 4 equal parts to get the 250 mg dosage. She's about 6 lbs, so I may recalculate tomorrow night and divide the same mg. into 5 or 6 parts for the next day's dosage, assuming she's responding well.

I cleaned her bottom pretty well, and will keep an eye out for fly strike. I recently added some barn lime to the wood chips in the run (deep litter method) and gave a stir. Don't really have a problem with flies maintaining it that way, but I will keep an eye out.

Thanks for your councel!