Sick hen

[Thebirdwisperr]

We have an Delaware hen who today I noticed that she was acting tired and hardly moving, when I picked her up, I noticed that her back end was swollen and kinda squishy. Please help, Sincerely the Birdwisperr

 

[hennible]

Need more detailed info to be much help. But you should do a search on here, try starting with egg bound.... If she's droopy try some electrolytes, there helpful in most cases. Good luck.

 

[cafarmgirl]

When you say her back end is swollen do you mean just around the vent or is it her entire lower abdomen? How old is this hen and has she been laying regularly?

 

[Thebirdwisperr]

Her whole back end is swollen. She has been laying regularly (she is one of our best layers) and is 1 and a half years old.
I also started to give the cure for egg binding. She seems to be a little more active than she was before but is still acting tired. My mom kinda felt an egg but she's not sure.

 

[Thebirdwisperr]

Also when I massaged her, wet white diarrhea like poop came out.

 

[hennible]

Well keep up what your doing if she is looking better, I've never felt it before but an intact egg should be pretty obvious depending on where it is. Did you try a bath? And are you using calcium?

 

[Thebirdwisperr]

She seems a little better and I felt the egg. I bathed her about an hour ago. As for calcium they get free-choice oyster shells.

 

[hennible]

You could give her tums for a higher dose of calcium to help her muscles move the egg.

 

[Thebirdwisperr]

Ok, I will try that and I pray that it works.

 

[cafarmgirl]

If her entire lower abdomen is swollen that sounds more like ascites, fluid build-up in the body cavities, then egg binding. But I would definitely keep doing what your doing and see if she lays that egg. Give her a crushed up Tum's as suggested, usually helps move things along.
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