Soft shell broken inside - what to do after the shell is extracted?

[Ruffle]

My beloved ex-batt Major Maggie (the tiniest chicken who is the queen of the flock) is unwell.

I discovered today that she had a soft-shell which had broken inside.

With baths and lube and oil and cuddles I've finally got the shell out (with a lot of effort from her), but I dont know if its all out and I dont know what to do next.

She's in the house in Chicken Hospital.

I've been advised warm olive oil enemas, vinegar flushing, antibiotics, salt flushing, epsom salts drinks, calcium in syringe, dark room....

I am at a loss to know which path to follow.

It's night time and dark but she's just standing up in the bedding straw in her hospital crate. When I check on her she says hello. I'm sure she feels better with the egg shell out & is looking to me to fix her up, but what to do next?

Any help would be much appreciated....

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

@azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[Ruffle]

Sorry for being an idiot, I was just reaching out because I want to try to save my girl.

 

[Kiki]

I would advise to not use anything to squirt inside of her at all.
That is a good way to cause more damage.

It's a vet visit an option?

 

[Kiki]

The less stress the better. If she's getting around well eating and drinking well there's no reason to remove her from the flock. Just by removing her can cause unneeded extra stress.

If she's not doing those three things then removing her is okay.

Giving her some extra calcium is a great idea.
Bathing a sick bird is probably not a good idea.

 

[Ruffle]

Thank you Kiki, I really appreciate the fast response. Vet isn't really an option. Vets near here deal with cats & dogs and guinea pigs etc. I could do a phone consult, but the expertise on this forum is likely to be greater than what I would get from our vet.

 

[Ruffle]

The less stress the better. If she's getting around well eating and drinking well there's no reason to remove her from the flock. Just by removing her can cause unneeded extra stress.

If she's not doing those three things then removing her is okay.

Giving her some extra calcium is a great idea.
Bathing a sick bird is probably not a good idea.

She's not eating or drinking. First time in a year since she came to live with us she went into the nesting box in the daytime and just stayed there. Her vent pulsing. Her crop is packed. I learned the hard way that taking a bird out of the flock can be detrimental, but she's just so poorly I thought it might help.

 

[Kiki]

She's not eating or drinking. First time in a year since she came to live with us she went into the nesting box in the daytime and just stayed there. Her vent pulsing. Her crop is packed. I learned the hard way that taking a bird out of the flock can be detrimental, but she's just so poorly I thought it might help.

She sounds like she is better off removed, you are right.

There is a reason she laid the shelless egg...
Diet or infection is most likely the top two reasons.

Some infections can be helped with antibiotics if caught early and some can not.

You can try to encourage her to drink. Water is very important. You could try to trick her into eating some wetted down feed.

What exactly do you feed your flock?
Do you have calcium supplements?
OR poultry vitamins?

 

[Ruffle]

Thank you again for your reply - I feel like I am not so alone with this!

I feed them layers mash. They free feed on that all day. I take it out of the run every night and its fresh for them every morning. Same with water, clean water every morning. They also have mixed poultry grit.

I do feed them a 'porridge' every morning, with Verm-x Poultry Zest and fine Oyster mixed into their mash.

They were free range until December when avian flu caused Chicken Lockdown here in the UK. I let them out 2 weeks ago when Lockdown was revoked.

 

[Ruffle]

She sounds like she is better off removed, you are right.

There is a reason she laid the shelless egg...
Diet or infection is most likely the top two reasons.

Some infections can be helped with antibiotics if caught early and some can not.

You can try to encourage her to drink. Water is very important. You could try to trick her into eating some wetted down feed.

What exactly do you feed your flock?
Do you have calcium supplements?
OR poultry vitamins?

Sorry, am still getting used to forum posting...

Thank you again for your reply - I feel like I am not so alone with this!

I feed them layers mash. They free feed on that all day. I take it out of the run every night and its fresh for them every morning. Same with water, clean water every morning. They also have mixed poultry grit.

I do feed them a 'porridge' every morning, with Verm-x Poultry Zest and fine Oyster mixed into their mash.

They were free range until December when avian flu caused Chicken Lockdown here in the UK. I let them out 2 weeks ago when Lockdown was revoked.