Eggbound???

[fivelittlehens1]

I have a close to 3 year old hen who has a history with soft eggs. On Sunday I noticed she had a dirty butt and some poop on her feathers around her vent so I gave her a bath. She was fine until yesterday morning when I found her on the roost bar in the coop in the late morning. I got her out and placed her in the run and she was standing weird with her tail down. Since then I have given her multiple epsom salt baths and yesterday I gave her a calcium tablet and today I gave her a dose of calcium gluconate. She pooped out some yolk yesterday but no eggshell yet. She is drinking little water and not eating her feed. Today I gave her some spinach and she ate it. This is the longest she has taken to pass an egg. She is able to walk and stand on her own. But very lethargic. And her face is very red. She has been pooping here and there but it has been mostly liquid some looked like egg white. I feel like I’m running out of time. Any advice will be much appreciated thank you.

 

[fivelittlehens1]

@azygous thank you for all the help I was able to get her to an avian vet today. She unfortunately had a lot of fluid in her abdomen and the vet recommended to put her to sleep. Thank you all so much​

 

[tlcmurphy]

@azygous
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive

 

[fivelittlehens1]

I just offered her some boiled egg and she ate it

 

[azygous]

Do you have any other forms of calcium? Gluconate isn't the best type in an emergency situation. Calcium citrate with D3 is what I suggest as it works the fastest. If gluconate is all you have give her two right now.

Since she likely passed some yolk, that means the egg probably ruptured inside of her. That leads to bacterial infection. What do you have on hand in the way of antibiotics? People prescriptions included.

 

[azygous]

There's so little calcium in gluconate, go ahead and give her a citrate tablet now.

Try to get an antibiotic. Amoxycilin is what I suggest. But if you can buy something from a vet, go with what they have. Mention it's for a reproductive infection.

Herbs with antibiotic properties are oil of oregano and echinacea. Some people use garlic in the water, but too much can be toxic to chickens.

 

[azygous]

The yellow poop indicates a possible reproductive infection. This hen should ideally be on an antibiotic. Yes, I understand how difficult it will be to obtain one. But herbals probably won't help much.

Now that the US government has cracked down on sales of all antibiotics, including the fish meds we all have been relying on to treat infection in our chickens, the first thing we must do is to befriend a vet closest to us. Start by asking a close friend with a dog or cat which vet they use and if they like the vet. Ask around until you find a good recommendation.

Next step is to go into that office and have a friendly chat. Explain you have chickens and will require their services occasionally to procure an antibiotic for you so that you can treat your chicken. You also will need a simple fecal float test occasionally when you suspect parasites, but that you will assume all responsibility for treatment.

This is necessary to assure the vet, because most do not treat poultry, that they need not concern themselves with treatment. This is what I did early on many years ago when I began my flock. I had a vet who treated my cat, and he would occasionally sell me an antibiotic for a sick chicken, and also has done fecal tests for me.

I suggest you do this immediately. It may be too late to save this chicken, but you will have established a relationship with a vet for next time you need antibiotics. As I said, we all must do this now that we can no longer order these meds online. Herbal remedies will only do so much. I doubt they could help in this late stage with your hen. But next time, you will have a source to obtain an antibiotic quickly and will not have to watch your sick chicken die. Because unless we all have a vet in our pocket, that's exactly what we will be doing.

 

[fivelittlehens1]

Her comb is beginning to turn purple on the points please if anyone can help or has any advice.

 

[fivelittlehens1]

her droppings have been small and they’re white liquid. I just checked her vent with a glove and Vaseline and could not feel anything.

 

[fivelittlehens1]

Do you have any other forms of calcium? Gluconate isn't the best type in an emergency situation. Calcium citrate with D3 is what I suggest as it works the fastest. If gluconate is all you have give her two right now.

Since she likely passed some yolk, that means the egg probably ruptured inside of her. That leads to bacterial infection. What do you have on hand in the way of antibiotics? People prescriptions included.

I have calcium citrate tablets I gave her 1ml of gluconate a few hours would it be safe to give her the calcium citrate tablet as well. I have no antibiotics I’m trying to find a local avian vet.