Sick hen, egg laying problem?

[Billie-Jean]

Hi all

I'm not sure whether this is a sick hen, she isn't 'unwell' (still eating, drinking, sociable etc) but she clearly is 'not right'. Please excuse the chicken poo study that will follow!

Ginger is about 2 years old and a hybrid. She came from a very reliable farm that have been wonderfully helpful every time I have a chicken problem. She is free range, spoilt rotten (though nothing that chucks shouldn't eat!) and generally a very happy hen.

But about a year ago, she must have got egg bound. She really was poorly and I took her to the vets cus I did worry that she was on her way out. The vet couldn't feel an egg obstruction but gave her multi vitamins and antibiotics. I fed her live yoghurt every day (I think I read this bit of advice on this very site) and eventually she passed a lot of egg shells all crushed up, and started to lay again. Though the laying only lasted a few weeks, she seemed perfectly happy and healthy, so I took it on value that she was alright and there was no point stressing her in the vets again. I don't have them for any reason after all, I just love chickens. I don't even like eggs.

But (sorry!!) her poo has never really been 'normal'. A touch on the runny side, but until recently nothing much to cause concern. But recently it's been a cross between watery and green tinted. Her backside is pretty messy. I bathed her, and trimmed the feathers so there'd be less to stick to. I spent a good hour soaking her to get her clean, it wasn't easy to remove, and the next day it was messy again. I can't put her through the stress of bathing every day. Also, she doesn't seem to be able to run, she just sort of trots in a bow legged kind of way. I know that something isn't right internally.

Any advice/similar experience? She is wormed regularly with vermex, she has mainly pellet feed (with small treats, but they are only mealworms or sunflower seeds or corn or porridge. Sometimes she has a pinch of grated cheese) and there is nothing harmful in the garden that I'm aware of she could have picked up. I just want to make her better. It may sound sad but she is a pet to me and having her put down and replaced would not be considered unless she was in pain. I will take her to the vets, I am willing to pay if it makes her better, but I don't want to put her though any unnecessary distress if anyone could help identify the problem first. I would appreciate any help or advice. Thanks!

 

[chooks4life]

I would guess that her first 'egg binding' which doesn't sound typical at all left her with a damaged reproductive tract, and this never healed; possibly, as she passed the mass of eggshells, it damaged her eliminatory tract on the way out.

She may be genetically inclined to be an internal layer. In which case it tends to recur no matter how many times it's treated. I would check her abdomen on the roost at night, or whenever if she lets you handle her, and see if it's bloated. Chances are it is. With internal layers, a diet high in fresh raw garlic (as many minced or crushed cloves a day as she wants to eat) can help prevent the infection that so often claims them.

Raspberry leaf tea or just plain raspberry leaves added to her food will give her a boost in iron but more importantly, it tones and strengthens the whole reproductive tract, especially the female one, and both heals it and can prevent infection, while also preventing hemorrhage or any similar issue.

It is also another specific treatment for diarrhea and damaged eliminatory tracts. I've used it for many reproductive issues in animals including animals not having contractions during birth, and to treat scouring as well. Highly recommend it. But try to get a good source, Nature's Own or Hilde's Herbs for example are irradiated to the point of being worth fertilizer and nothing much else, no real medicinal value left on average.

Best wishes with her. A vet may still be a good idea, especially if you see her looking unwell at any point, as it's possible she could develop septicemia, though to be honest vets don't usually appear to be much help in cases like that.

 

[Billie-Jean]

Thank you so much for the advice. I'd kind of decided a long time ago that she was too damaged internally to lay and as long as she was healthy and happy, I was at peace with it. She's quite tame, I've just had a feel and she doesn't seem to be bloated. Though that might be a conclusion made by inexperienced hands.

I'll definitely try the raspberry leaves and garlic (even though she'll become a smelly chicken ) straight away, then take her to the vets around Easter, when I can have time off work. I do appreciate the advice, you sound like you know your stuff thanks again!

 

[ten chicks]

Also have a look at vent gleet just to rule it out. Here is a link explaining condition.

http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment.html

For future reference if you ever suspect any hen is egg bound,immediately do a cloacal exam as egg binding will kill often in 24-48 hours. If you feel a egg while doing an internal exam,give hen a tums or calcium tablet(break into pieces and give orally)this often will help pass egg within an hour. Keep hen warm/quiet/calm and in a dark location.

I do agree that your girl had some internal issues with repro system and has ceased laying. Just out of curiosity did she ever lay a
'lash egg"that you were aware of?

 

[Billie-Jean]

I'm afraid I had to google lash egg, as i'd never heard of it. Just...wow. So many gross pictures! But she did lay something similar a little after she'd had a week of an intensive live yogurt diet. I assumed it was all the built up egg debris. To be honest, she never had like an 'obstruction' and after the mess she laid that did look like a lash egg and after antibiotics, she did lay again for a while. So I'm not sure if that answers a question you perhaps had on the nature of lash eggs.