What’s wrong with my leghorn?? **WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES**

[Barredrocker99]

I need help over the last two or so days I’ve noticed my White Leghorns wings have been drooping and she keeps falling asleep in the middle of the day, and just overall doesn’t look great. I’ve been finding one egg nearly everyday that doesn’t have a hard shell… I’d say for probably the last 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. I usually get one both of my leghorns every single day but have only got one a day for about the same time, if not longer. I checked her vent today, and it was very swollen and covered in either poop or egg. I’m attaching pictures of that, so be cautious. I’m very nervous though, she just seems weak and I don’t know what’s wrong.

Picture 1: She’s the Leghorn to the left.
Picture 2: Vent
Picture 3: Her sleeping one night ago

 

[arwoon]

I would get a gloved/lubricated finger and gently feel around inside her vent for an egg for starters.

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

Poor girl. @azygous @Wyorp Rock @aart

 

[azygous]

The swollen vent concerns me as does her lethargic behavior. Can you tell if she's the one laying shell-less eggs? The other Leghorn could be laying them, and if she is, she would need treatment with calcium citrate.

The lethargic hen may have an infection. The behavior and swollen vent tissue points that direction. What do you have on hand in the way of antibiotics?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give a human calcium tablet with vitamin D3 orally now and for the next 2-3 days to see if it helps. Just place it in the back of her throat. Check inside her vent with a clean finger to feel for a stuck egg. There could be some broken egg or egg white coming from the vent. Good layers can have reproductive issues. If you have amoxicillin or can Aqua Mox for fish, give her 250 mg once or twice a day.

 

[Barredrocker99]

The swollen vent concerns me as does her lethargic behavior. Can you tell if she's the one laying shell-less eggs? The other Leghorn could be laying them, and if she is, she would need treatment with calcium citrate.

The lethargic hen may have an infection. The behavior and swollen vent tissue points that direction. What do you have on hand in the way of antibiotics?

She’s definitely the one that was laying shell less eggs, I pulled one from her vent that she couldn’t fully pass on her own. I’m thinking the straining to lay soft shelled eggs is what caused her vent to swell. I have her an epsom salt bath on Sunday, and gave her a TUMS. Since then she’s been almost completely back to her usual self. She’s still not laying though, which concerns me. Im happy for her to take a break, but she is nearly 2 and up until this point has been laying very consistently. That being said, her vent is no longer swollen, her wings aren’t drooping, and she’s back to being one of the first to run outside in the morning.

 

[azygous]

It sounds like this crisis has passed. The fact that she's reverted to her normal behavior tells us she's fine for the time being.

I would get some calcium citrate and treat her with one a day for a couple weeks to build up her calcium reserves, and if she starts laying again, it reduces the chances of another egg getting hung up.

 

[Barredrocker99]

I would give a human calcium tablet with vitamin D3 orally now and for the next 2-3 days to see if it helps. Just place it in the back of her throat. Check inside her vent with a clean finger to feel for a stuck egg. There could be some broken egg or egg white coming from the vent. Good layers can have reproductive issues. If you have amoxicillin or can Aqua Mox for fish, give her 250 mg once or twice a day.

Thank you! I felt around and there wasn’t anything in her vent, fortunately. I gave her a tums and an epsom salt bath on Sunday and since then she seems to be feeling a ton better. No drooping wings, no puffed out feathers, her vent isn’t swollen, and she has lots of energy!