Need help with a chicken – FAST!!!

[karen]

I have a chicken who may be egg bound. I don’t know enough to know. Anyone know chickens and able to help?

I have Googled and think this is the problem. I’ve given her oil, kept her hydrated, tried a warm bath and massaged her abdomen but nothing. Not sure if it’s not the problem or I’m not doing it right.

Thanks!

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[transplantella]

We have raised many a chicken, free range. We have seen our fair share of chicken problems but never heard of nor seen an “egg bound” hen.

Mr. Transplantella is currently on the phone with his dad who has raised chickens for 70+ years, and grandpa has never seen or heard of an egg bound hen either.

So I’m thinking if there is something wrong with your bird, egg bound probably isn’t it.

You described your treatment, but can you tell us what kind of symptoms your hen was exhibiting that made you think she had a problem?

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[JoB]

i am so glad that someone with resources stepped into this conversation.

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[karen]

Thank you – duh! Symptoms. Sorry!

Her abdomen is enlarged but not firm. She is unable to walk – more of a waddle because of the lump. It came on quite quickly two days ago. The day before she was fine. She has had some small yellowish/ whiteish diarrhea.

Her eyes are clear although she just droops her head and sleeps. Waddle is upright and good color. She seems in fine health.

I called Reber Ranch and they suggested “egg bound” that an egg was not fully laid and stuck inside.

Any ideas or help appreciated!

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[DBP]

From “Dummies.com”:

If a hen is handled roughly just before she lays an egg, the egg may break inside her. So be sure to handle hens carefully, especially early in the day. A hen who’s egg bound will sit on the floor or ground. Her feathers will be fluffed, and she’ll be drowsy and act sick. Sometimes you’ll actually see her strain as if trying to produce the egg. More often, you’ll notice her tail pumping up and down.

Moist heat is considered the safest remedy for egg binding in chickens. Put the hen in a cage with a wire floor. Place a large, flat pan of steaming water beneath the cage. Keep the water warm under her, but don’t keep it so hot that the steam burns her.

Provide some overhead heat from a heat lamp, and enclose the whole cage with a blanket or plastic to keep the moist heat in. Make sure it doesn’t get too hot, however. A thermometer can be used to keep the heat between 90 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Water should be available at all times for the hen to drink.

The hen should pass the egg in a couple hours with this treatment. If you see an egg, she should have perked up and will be ready to be removed from the cage. If no egg has passed but she seems more active and will eat, you probably misdiagnosed her. Something else is wrong. If she continues to act droopy and ill, give her a few more hours of treatment. A vet can give a hen an injection of calcium gluconate, which will often cause her to pass the egg.

A hen that’s truly egg bound will die if she doesn’t pass the egg, usually within 48 hours. Don’t stick things like syringes full of oil up her vent; you’re likely to hurt her and cause infection. Trying to break the egg inside her and extract the pieces isn’t usually effective either; it’s likely to result in infection and death.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-treat-egg-binding-in-chickens.html

If the hen is truly egg-bound, and she doesn’t pass the egg soon, she’ll die. I’m rather surprised to hear the TP’s grandpa has raised chickens for 70+ years and never heard of an egg-bound hen. It is not all that rare.

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[karen]

Thanks DBP – I had read that. She had a warm bath, sat over moist heat under a heat lamp and nothing. That’s why I’m hoping someone has another idea.

Thanks!

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[transplantella]

Well…

Chickens are susceptible to a number of ailments–I have no idea how you determined her “abdomen is enlarged”….very strange diagnosis for a chicken…

But the inability to walk is certainly a bad sign.

Unfortunately I can only tell you that if your bird has picked up some kind of illness and cannot walk, her prognosis is not so good. :-(

Here is a harsh reality for urban farmers who are new to to the business of raising livestock: stuff happens. There are losses. It is inevitable. Sometimes you have no idea why and the animal cannot be saved.

Perhaps the best thing you can do for your hen right now is put her in her nest and be sure she’s warm with available food and water, and wait.

I hope your bird recovers.

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[transplantella]

@DBP

Thanks for the googled response from Dummies.com, but I’ll take grandpa’s decades of first hand experience (and our own) over some anonymous internet reference seven days a week.

Regards,

transplantella

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[karen]

Maybe swollen belly is better? I don’t know.

Yep, I suppose that may be the answer. We are keeping her separate from the others because they are pecking her. She’s safe, warm and has food and water available.

I appreciate your help. We accepted the reality that chickens would not make long term pets and that’s OK. I just don’t want to lose an animal because of my own ignorance or unwillingness to ask for help.

She does not seem to be in pain so we will wait and see.

Thank you.

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[karen]

Transplantella – that’s why I came here to ask. I can read a lot online but I was hoping for help from someone like you , who has been there, done that!

Thanks!

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[Gina]

There are lots of things that can mimic being egg bound. Which is a term I heard from my mother and grandmother. Could be an out of fashion term, their chicken years were from 1920-1950 or so.

This blog connects with a community of urban chicken raisers, they might be a resource.

http://ittybittyfarminthecity.blogspot.com/2011/04/eggo-egg-bound.html

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[timeslid]

Call Seattle Tilth tel: (206) 633-0451 tilth@seattletilth.org. They have chicken expertise. Also, try the Woodland Park Zoo and ask for the Urban Farm 206.548.2500. If you can get to the Farmers’ Market tomorrow ask any and all the farmers.

We had a chicken egg bound and the advise we got from the West Seattle Farmers’ market folks was to use Preparation H. A dab on your finger and then massage the vent. Out came a very very large egg.

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[transplantella]

Considering that our whole family in two different states now has an interest in your chicken, please keep us posted as to the outcome of her plight.

We like chickens.

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[Sonoma]

You might also want to call Bird & Exotic Clinic, which is in Ballard. Yes, they do handle chickens, as well as other feathered friends and other critters. Not inexpensive, but if all else fails. Phone: (206) 783-4538

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[karen]

Thank you everyone for your help.

Big Red is still alive this morning and her swelling seems to have reduced somewhat. On the assumption that it can’t hurt, we took her out in the sun yesterday and let her have a little sun nap. I continued to give her a little oil and keep her hydrated and even got her to take a little bread.

She seems very weak and just want to sleep today. She hasn’t had much to eat for three days so I am going to make a little watery mash for her and see if I can get some down her.

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[wsmama3]

Karen – no words of help we’ve never had this issue with our chickens and you’ve gotten all the usual people I would have gone too. Just wanted to let you know all our girls told your girl to get better soon.

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[EarlGray]

Have your tried posting a question on the forums at backyardchickens.com? Usually people will respond quickly to questions there. You can also post pictures that might help people understand more of what the chickens problem is. I hope that she is feeling better today.

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[karen]

Thank you all.

Unfortunately Big Red passed quietly in her box. She seemed perked up this morning after some water and a warm mash.

Who knows. Thank you all for your help and encouragement.

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[pigeonmom]

Sorry to hear that Big Red didn’t make it.

{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}

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[transplantella]

.

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[charlabob]

I’m so sorry; and so impressed with the response here.

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[Spring Chicken]

So sorry to hear of the sad loss of your little hen, our family had been watching here these past few days hoping for her recovery… we send you all our sincere sympathy!

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[ghar72]

Karen, I just saw your post on the forum. Do you know about the Seattle Farm Co-op? They have a yahoo group and people post questions/announcements/etc. I don’t have chickens, but there have been many, many questions about egg-bound hens and what to do. If you have other chickens you might consider joining. It’s an amazingly helpful and friendly group of people. Plus it’s an actual co-op and you can buy feed and such. Sorry about Big Red.

Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seattlefarmcoop/

Website: http://www.seattlefarmcoop.com/

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[timeslid]

Sorry for your loss. Curious though, what happened? Did you do a necropsy? In the event that there is a communicable illness or poison involved, perhaps you may want to investigate. We had a one year old hen fall off the perch dead one morning. After checking her insides we discovered that her heart exploded with a massive corinary. Relieved that it was not communicable, we went on with the usual routine. Something to think about.

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[transplantella]

Dear god, exploding chickens? We never saw this down on the farm.

I am at a loss for explanation….

Or maybe there is some extra crazy element to urban farming?

Speechless. :-o

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