Treatments Not Working- Stumped

[Jchickie]

Alright, sounds good. Sorry if this is a silly question, but what exactly will the calcium supplement do for her if I can't feel an egg inside her? It doesn’t appear she is egg bound.

 

[Lillith37]

This is the one I have.

I have a hen who periodically struggles with laying and lays soft or abnormal shelled eggs. Even if they aren’t egg-bound, if they are struggling to lay the extra calcium will help smooth things out. I suggested it because it’s strange that your hen randomly stopped laying and you came home to find her in this posture which is typical of a hen who is having laying issues.

Either way I don’t think it will hurt.

 

[Jchickie]

This is the one I have.

I have a hen who periodically struggles with laying and lays soft or abnormal shelled eggs. Even if they aren’t egg-bound, if they are struggling to lay the extra calcium will help smooth things out. I suggested it because it’s strange that your hen randomly stopped laying and you came home to find her in this posture which is typical of a hen who is having laying issues.

Either way I don’t think it will hurt.

Okay. Thank you! Do you know approximately how long it takes after administering the calcium for contractions to occur? I want to give her an epsom bath, and I wanted to time it right for the best effect. Or is that not something I need to worry about?

 

[Lillith37]

No I’m not sure about the contractions but I think it’s pretty quick, a couple of hours or so. I reckon you could give her a bath straight away and see if she relaxes a bit. Sometimes at night or when it’s dark is better depending on the chicken. I have hens who love the bath and some who will only relax if it’s dark and quiet.

 

[nuthatched]

Alright, sounds good. Sorry if this is a silly question, but what exactly will the calcium supplement do for her if I can't feel an egg inside her? It doesn’t appear she is egg bound.

It stimulates contractions or gives her a calcium boost.
Calcium citrate or even tums will help.
It's possible she has a soft egg that she's struggling to lay.

 

[Tonyroo]

When you get a chance use your fingers to feel her chest. If you feel her sternum and it's protruding. She's very under weight. Stop giving her the soaked bread. Feed her raw egg yolk and water every 3 hours. You need to hand feed her to make sure she eats it. Just place the yolk in a small shallow bowl and place it to her beak.

I use this method when they don't want to eat and feeling sick or injured.

 

[Jchickie]

Update: I have been feeding her scrambled egg, and today I gave her the calcium supplement and soaked her in an epsom bath. For a little more background, she has been this way, more or less, for a week now. She hasn't gotten any worse, but she also isn't getting any better. I really have no idea what else to do for her.

 

[EuroChook]

Alright, sounds good. Sorry if this is a silly question, but what exactly will the calcium supplement do for her if I can't feel an egg inside her? It doesn’t appear she is egg bound.

If her calcium stores are depleted by laying, then replenishment of calcium will be necessary. Also hens of most breeds require 4 to 5g of calcium daily while laying with vit D3 of around 2000iu up to 7000iu for each kg 2.2 lbs) of feed (for some breeds only). 2000iu to 3000iu (per kg or 2.2lbs of feed) daily while in lay is ballpark for most breeds.

Especially shells that are banded or speckled or lack color (for brown egg laying varieties) can indicate calcium deficiency.

Too much calcium is as bad as too little since the hen will not absorb it. Too little D and the hen will not absorb calcium. Too much calcium will lead to uric acid overload (antidote is bicarbonate of soda and water solution). Too much D can also lead to uric acid overload by overabsorption of calcium.

If she has laid "internally" (without shell into coelomic cavity) then you will be dealing with egg yolk peritonitis potentially. This can escalate quickly with massive inflammation and bacterial infection. Best options when dealing with lack of avian vet are controlling infection using Fish Mox, and treating pain and inflammation with very judicious amounts of aspirin.

It is often hard for even vets to estimate how much fluid has accumulated in compartmental spaces with radiograph imaging giving a definitive clinical picture.

Symptoms--panting, (as fluid builds up), feeling limp in hands when you pick her up, drip from nostrils when attempting to drink, listlessness, standing still, finding a hiding place away from others, can be signs of inflammation, as halted egg laying can be.

Standing still, ruffled feathers, not interested in self care, not as talkative are quite general but in absence of other things, roughly indicate deficiency of some kind.

I see this post is from a few days back. I truly hope all is well?

Aspirin dosage for chickens (PO means "per os", by mouth. TID--3 times daily. I see they updated their info. Never give poultry 2 kinds of NSAID at the same time, nor when receiving tetracycline antibiotic or insulin: https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/aspirin

Fish Mox: amoxicillin usually added to aquarium water--but can be made field expedient for poultry--but please adjust dose according to dosage guidelines here: https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/amoxicillin

I hope this helps. I hope there has already been a good outcome!