think our RIR is egg bound

[smores.eragon.willymom]

One of our chickens is just finishing her first molting and she had not laid since she started. But our other chicken (a Rhode Island Red), who didn't molt (and still isn't molting) did not lay either. (We have searched and searched for eggs to no avail. There aren't too many places an egg could hide in our yard and by now they would be stinking in our Florida heat. They just haven't been laying.) It's been over two weeks since we had an egg from either one. Now our little RIR is acting funny. She isn't eating and is walking slow and her little bum is filthy. She keeps wiggling her tail up and down. Before she stopped laying she gave us enormous eggs. I'm so worried about her. I'll try the warm bath thing today and see if that helps. It will kill my youngest daughter if something happens to one of our chickens. They are her pets and she loves them so much. Diet wise I think we have done everything right--they get the 16% layer feed mixed with oyster shell and we also make sure they get grit. We supplement alternately with a bit of yogurt, bananas, veggie scraps, corn, and they always have fresh water. Also our little Rhodey isn't talking like she usually does. She always been so vocal and now she's quiet. Does she sound egg bound to you all??

 

[Lunachick]

Sometimes they take a long time after a molt before they lay eggs again. Is your hen pooping OK? Try feeling her abdomen to see if you feel anything that might tell you she has an egg inside her. And if you dare to, maybe put your finger into her vent feel inside and carefully check for an egg. If you feel one in there, try to moisten the area where the egg may be stuck with some olive oil. Give her a warm bath, she needs to sit in warm water for quite awhile. No soap in the water, she may drink it. How old are your hens? Sounds like you're doing everything else right. Good luck with her.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Could it be possible that she's going into a molt, and just hasn't started losing feathers yet? My buttercup didn't lay for a couple weeks before I saw feathers dropping off her rapidly.

 

[smores.eragon.willymom]

Maybe she is going to molt--that's a good point! I hope that's all it is, but I will try the bath and oil when my daughter gets home from school. I'll let her check the vent--she has tiny fingers.

They are not yet 2 years old. I haven't seen her go to the bathroom yet today but her little bum is so yucky. She would need a bath anyway.

I'll let you know how the bath goes. I'm glad it is warm today!

 

[smores.eragon.willymom]

okay, we gave her the bath and then put a little oil around her vent. We noticed that she has some little white sores on her vent area, but she doesn't seem to be in any pain. She is walking with her legs spread out a bit more than usual. She hasn't dropped an egg yet, but we're keeping our fingers crossed!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Did you feel her abdomen? Can you feel anything?


I had a BR that seemed just "off". She had laid 1 egg the day before. I picked her up and was feeling her abdomen when *plop* out came a soft shelled egg. She was fine after that.

 

[smores.eragon.willymom]

We don't feel anything on her abdomen. We tried greasing the vent again and she is really trying to push something out. But we didn't feel an egg in there. My father-in-law suggested that she might be constipated. Could that be it? How do you make a chicken poo?

 

[smores.eragon.willymom]

also her comb is now completely flat on her head

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think I'd post this in the emergencies section. Good luck.

 

[Lunachick]

Good idea new2chooks......smores.....Do you have access to a vet? Just in case...... Maybe you can feed her some olive oil with her favourite food such as tomatoes, that might loosen something up.