Very sick -- Could it be constipation?

[trish5909]

Please help! I have noticed a chicken nesting on the floor of the coop, on and off, for a couple of days but she didn't seem to be in discomfort & seemed to be eating. Yesterday it was obvious she was in distress -- wings out, walking with a funny waddle, tail down. I thought she was eggbound, brought her inside, put her in warm water. Then I used gloves & KY Jelly and felt inside for an egg. I couldn't really feel anything, plus her abdomen was soft but some yellow liquid came squirting out. This morning she has laid a perfect-looking egg but is still in distress. She has NOT pooped since last night. I've been feeding the chickens treats such as cabbage and hard-boiled eggs. Could I have given too many eggs & she is constipated? Could it be a tumour? What can I do? Last night, I got her to drink several sips from water with antibiotics & electrolytes. She looks and sounds as though she's suffering and I don't know what else to do.

 

[chicmom]

That sounds like maybe she had an egg squish inside of her and I think it could be egg peritonitis. (I am not sure of the spelling). She may need some antibiotics to ward off infection from the yellow stuff that you saw coming out......

Good luck with her. (When they walk like a penguin, it usually does mean they're egg bound, so I'm betting that egg broke inside ofher....) Can't be 100% sure though...

Sharon

 

[trish5909]

I just got her to drink some more of the water containing electrolytes and antibiotics. She is now eating and seems brighter but is still waddling when she walks. She had a watery yellow liquid squirt out of her twice last night -- not much, it wouldn't fit inside a whole egg -- but there were no signs of shell at all. I don't know what else to do except wait to see if she passes anything else. She doesn't seem quite as ill as last night, thankfully.