*update*Could My Hen Be Egg Bound?

[azhenhouse]

I found my hen sitting on the nesting box at 6:30 tonight acting like she was trying to lay an egg. She was pushing with her eyes closed. I decided to leave her to do her thing and went back out at 8:45 to collect the egg. There was no egg. She was walking around on the floor of the coop but her butt/tail was dipping, if you will, up and down. I watched the other hens and they were not doing that. They all jumped up on the roost, her included, to settle in for the night. I observed her breathing heavily with her tail dipping. It seemed like she was trying to push, as well. She the put her head back between her wings and sat there. Do you think she might be egg bound?





My hen laid an egg. All is well.

 

[dmccann]

Yes,it is very possible.Do a search on the forum,there is great advice.

 

[tammye]

try a warm bath to help her pass the egg, the warm bath relaxes the pelvic muscles to help release the egg, also some lub in her vent would help her out. she needs to be watched, this could lead to a prolaspe vent

 

[azhenhouse]

How far up do I lube her vent? Just on the outside or a little on the inside. I honestly don't know if she is egg bound. She is not acting lethargic this AM. She is eating food, but she is not poopin'. She has made a nice nest where she sits and will pull bedding up onto her back. I gave her another bath this morning and put some olive oil on the outside of the vent. While putting on the oil I noticed that she is contracting her vent in and out but could that happen because I was touching it. She was breathing with her mouth open this morning but I truely believe it was because I had it too hot for her. It has been in the high 30's to 40's in the coop and I had the heat set on 68 in the house with a heating pad underneath her. If she were sick with something else would her vent be contracting? I have read some old post on egg bound chickens and I still don't know if that is what I am dealing with. It's just so darn frustrating because I make myself worry too dang much about all my pets. Oh, and I have no clue when she last lay an egg because all the others are laying like normal. Anyway, I will try giving her another bath in a hour or so. Maybe make it 45minutes this time.

Thanks for the responses.

I did give them some different treats yesterday. I don't know if that could have caused intestine problem. I gave them some dry cat food, and oat groats (for cockatiels, parakeets, and canaries) and some oyster shell. Don't think there was anything wrong with that.