- Sep 15, 2009
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About two weeks ago, I was checking on our mixed flock of four chickens and noticed two eggs side-by-side in the chickens' covered outdoor day pen. They almost never lay anywhere except their nest boxes. One of the eggs was kind of bloody. The nest boxes revealed some drops of blood in one box and chickens pecking at blood on straw in an adjacent box.
I looked at the birds and the Barred Rock (approx one year old) was gory around her vent so I separated her into a smaller a-frame coop in the garage away from the rest of the flock. During a couple supervised visits the first week, one of the other birds would go right after her vent so they've been kept separate since. After the last meeting, I put neosporin on the injured hen's wound and it seems to have healed up well.
Thanks to the information on this site and elsewhere, I thought maybe she prolapsed, had 'gleet' or some type of infection from her injury. In the last week I've given her yogurt, apple cider vinegar in her water, a few outdoor epsom salt spa baths, and massaged crop area. In recent days, it was clear she is trying to work through a stuck egg. I guess her decreasing weight and everything else would suggest that, too.
The picture below was taken about 30 minutes after I gave her a bath and dried her off.
I'm reluctant to try to force the stuck egg out - or break it and risk an infection. On the other hand, I also would like to spare her an uncomfortable end if that's what is in store.
Any suggestions on what to try or expect next?
I looked at the birds and the Barred Rock (approx one year old) was gory around her vent so I separated her into a smaller a-frame coop in the garage away from the rest of the flock. During a couple supervised visits the first week, one of the other birds would go right after her vent so they've been kept separate since. After the last meeting, I put neosporin on the injured hen's wound and it seems to have healed up well.
Thanks to the information on this site and elsewhere, I thought maybe she prolapsed, had 'gleet' or some type of infection from her injury. In the last week I've given her yogurt, apple cider vinegar in her water, a few outdoor epsom salt spa baths, and massaged crop area. In recent days, it was clear she is trying to work through a stuck egg. I guess her decreasing weight and everything else would suggest that, too.
The picture below was taken about 30 minutes after I gave her a bath and dried her off.
I'm reluctant to try to force the stuck egg out - or break it and risk an infection. On the other hand, I also would like to spare her an uncomfortable end if that's what is in store.
Any suggestions on what to try or expect next?
