Very sick hen-mabye egg-bound????

[cutechick2010]

I have a two year old Amerauana hen that has been sort of moping around and off her feed for a couple of days. I just found that she has a large, very hard lump, well, in her back end for lack of a better way to phrase it. It is right where the egg would be sitting if she was getting ready to lay it, but there is either a lot of inflammation around it or that is one HUGE egg, because I don't think there is any way she could pass something the size of what I am feeling back there. She is also very thin, and I am betting dehydrated because her skin looks very dry. I have done sub-q fluids for dehydrated cats/furry creatures before, but I have no idea how to do it for a chicken, or if that is appropriate in this case or not. Can anyone give me any advice on how to help her?

 

[seminolewind]

I personally don't do sub-q water. I would use a dropper.

If she's trying to pass an egg, soak her butt in a nice warm bath for about 30 minutes. If that doesn't work, you can use olive oil and a finger and see if an egg is there. If there's an egg, what I've done is keep coating my finger and work the oil around the egg between the egg and the wall. Hopefully that will work.

 

[cutechick2010]

Ok, I have tried the warm bath, didn't help. So I oiled up and went in. She immediatly passed some very dark, gritty poop that had some blood in it. The grit stuff looks like the calcium deposits that you sometimes see on the end of a layed egg, it is very gritty and rough. Does this mean that the egg may be broken inside her or something? Need more advice here, pleeeease!

 

[cutechick2010]

Anybody???

 

[seminolewind]

Is there anyway to know if it was poop or came from her egg tube? Did she pass actual pieces of egg shell?

 

[cutechick2010]

I don't know for sure, it really felt more like hard grit than actual egg shell? But the blood mixed in there is what really worried me, even though it was a small amount. I don't know if there is anything that can be done at this point anyway though, she is pretty far gone.

 

[seminolewind]

I am very sorry that she is not doing well.

 

[ladrholman]

the blood could be from cuts in the duct wall from the egg shell. I am dealing with a similar thing and hoping for the best. I have read some posts where people flush the vent with not cold/ not hot ... cool/warm water and have had success. Good luck. So hard to lose a girl!!!

 

[cutechick2010]

I wish I knew my chicken anatomy a little bit better. When I went in to try and help her work it out, I couldn't touch the egg itself, there was still a layer of tissue covering it. Is it possible that this could be a tumor of some sort, rather than an oversized egg? I really feel like I am in over my head here.

 

[OHhappychicks]

I'm in the same boat. I have done the baths today and vaseline, but my hens egg is clear back almost under her wing. Her abdomen is swollen and warm. we have tried to massage the egg down but it doesn't move down. We have calcium in her water along with duramycin. She is eating and drinking some and she does move around, but she walks funny as her legs are spread because of the swelling in the abdomen. I can't feel an egg near her vent, but I'm like you, not sure if im in the right spot. We got a little yellowish and clear liquid out and some cottage cheese consistancy stuff out with a little bit of blood. Just don't know what else to do. She hasn't passed any thing either. I just checked on her and I don't think she has even pooped today. I'm definately out of my league also. We will try the warm bath again this eve and see what happens. We have already given her 3 baths today but only about 10-15 min at a time. Will try a longer one this time.