Very Sick Hen! Please Help

[JacobMaxwell]

Today I noticed one of my hens didn't look right. As you can see from the photos, she's all ruffled and has some pooh stuck to her bum. If anybody know's what's going on, please post a reply. I would really like to find a cure.

 

[White Leghorn]

She looks like she may be egg-bound!

 

[JacobMaxwell]

She looks like she may be egg-bound!

What should I do?

 

[White Leghorn]

Search egg-bound in the search box! There are many forums on this topic! PM me with any questions you may have!

 

[White Leghorn]

I am not sure this is what it is though

 

[casportpony]

This is a cut and paste from another post of mine

When mine get sick, this is what I do:

• Thorough exam which includes inserting a gloved, lubed finger into the cloaca to check for an egg, check for cuts, bruising lumps etc.
• Dust for mites/lice with poultry dust even if I cannot see any. DE does not work.
• Weigh on digital kitchen scale (see avatar), record weight and weigh daily. any weight loss is bad.
• Place bird in a warm, quiet place on towel with food and water that it can't drown in.
• De-worm with Safeguard or Panacur, liquid or paste 50mg/kg by mouth and repeat in 10 days. Warning - Safeguard/Panacur (fenbendazle should not be used during a molt)
• Once warm, if not drinking, and crop is empty, hydrate with warmed Pedialyte or lactated ringers with a feeding tube - 30ml/kg every 6-8 hours.
• If not eating after 24 hours and crop is empty, tube feed baby bird food mixed with Pedialyte
• Inspect poop.
• If I suspect a stuck egg, treat for egg binding.
• If I suspect a bacterial infection, treat with antibiotics.

From: http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/avmed/cam/07_emergency_and_critical_care.pdf
Supportive Care
SICK-BIRD ENCLOSURES
Sick birds are often hypothermic and should be placed
in heated (brooder-type) enclosures


b (Fig 7.7) in a quiet
environment (see Chapter 1, Clinical Practice). A temperature
of 85° F (29° C) with 70% humidity is desirable
for most sick birds. If brooders are not equipped with a
humidity source, placing a small dish of water in the
enclosure will often supply adequate humidity. A moist
towel that is heated and placed on the bottom of a cage
or incubator rapidly humidifies the environment, as indicated​

by the fogging of the acrylic cage front.

FLUID THERAPY
Oral Administration
Oral administration is the ideal method of giving fluids.
This method is more commonly used in mildly dehydrated
birds or in conjunction with subcutaneous (SC)
or intravenous (IV) therapy. Oral rehydration (30 ml/kg
PO q 6-8 h) also may be used in larger birds (eg, waterfowl)
that are difficult to restrain for parenteral fluid​

therapy.

 

[casportpony]

What should I do?

Clean her backside!
If you suspect an egg issue, read this thread and the links in it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/738201/goose-what-is-this-how-did-it-happen-what-do-i-do-about-it

 

[JacobMaxwell]

Update: Success! I took your advice and went up the cloaca with my finger. Sure enough, there was a huge egg waiting to come out. I held a hot, wet cloth on her bum for a while before gently massaging the egg out. It took a surprising amount of effort. The egg was huge at 106 grams, but had only one yolk.

 

[White Leghorn]

So she was egg-bound?

 

[casportpony]

Update: Success! I took your advice and went up the cloaca with my finger. Sure enough, there was a huge egg waiting to come out. I held a hot, wet cloth on her bum for a while before gently massaging the egg out. It took a surprising amount of effort. The egg was huge at 106 grams, but had only one yolk.

I am so happy for you!