- Oct 23, 2012
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Hello All!
I'm posting to ask advice on what I should do to help my lavender Orpington, Ethel.
She is a few years old now and just starting a new egg cycle now that spring has sprung.
Unfortunately, she is having trouble laying....
Yesterday evening I could see she was distressed. I could see an egg sized lump bearing against the vent area when she tries to squeeze it out and could even see part of the egg through the vent. However, her vent just does not seem to want to stretch and there might appear to be risk of prolapsing.
I tried 'lubing' her up, massage and gently stretching the vent area, but with no success. She has been isolating overnight in the hope it may relax her, but this morning she is still the same.
I believe that this lack of 'elasticity' may be due to a problem she had over winter: her vent had become sore and infected, causing it to scab over and be quite wiffy! I managed to successfully treat her by keeping it clean and using antibiotic spray. My opinion is that the resulting scar tissue has set her vent to a smaller size and she has lost the elastic tissue that allows chickens to lay eggs but also hold everything in! Not too much of an issue, until she wants to lay an egg...
I'm concerned that even if I manage to get this egg out, another will follow and the problem will keep happening.
I've read a lot about egg bound chickens, and the potential problems of eggs crushing inside them, but I feel this situation may be slightly different and I hope someone may be able to offer advice?
She'll be going to the vet later today, but I want to see what I can do for her before then.
I'm thinking of trying a nice warm bath with Epsom salts might be worth a go?
Thank you for reading and I look forward to your responses!
I'm posting to ask advice on what I should do to help my lavender Orpington, Ethel.
She is a few years old now and just starting a new egg cycle now that spring has sprung.
Unfortunately, she is having trouble laying....
Yesterday evening I could see she was distressed. I could see an egg sized lump bearing against the vent area when she tries to squeeze it out and could even see part of the egg through the vent. However, her vent just does not seem to want to stretch and there might appear to be risk of prolapsing.
I tried 'lubing' her up, massage and gently stretching the vent area, but with no success. She has been isolating overnight in the hope it may relax her, but this morning she is still the same.
I believe that this lack of 'elasticity' may be due to a problem she had over winter: her vent had become sore and infected, causing it to scab over and be quite wiffy! I managed to successfully treat her by keeping it clean and using antibiotic spray. My opinion is that the resulting scar tissue has set her vent to a smaller size and she has lost the elastic tissue that allows chickens to lay eggs but also hold everything in! Not too much of an issue, until she wants to lay an egg...
I'm concerned that even if I manage to get this egg out, another will follow and the problem will keep happening.
I've read a lot about egg bound chickens, and the potential problems of eggs crushing inside them, but I feel this situation may be slightly different and I hope someone may be able to offer advice?
She'll be going to the vet later today, but I want to see what I can do for her before then.
I'm thinking of trying a nice warm bath with Epsom salts might be worth a go?
Thank you for reading and I look forward to your responses!
