4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Biker Betty]

I have a girly who is egg bound - quite badly. I have already taken her to the vets but the vet had no joy in being able to assist her - the vet wasn't that happy about taking her in to surgically remove it either mainly because it's quite far back, has a softer shell and is massive - therefore the risk is large. She said the best bet is to try everything I can to help her pass it herself.

 

So I have left the vets with some baytril and a hope that a home remedy or two may help. I don't want to give up on her just yet - she seems to still have some fight left.

 

Does anyone have any advice at all? I have tried a hot bath (which she didn't like too much) and will probably try again tonight. I will also give her some metacam whcih I have.

 

What else can I do?!

[Biker Betty]

Oh - and does anyone know how on earth you can get a syringe in a chicken's mouth?!

[Egluntyne]

Article on egg binding **here**.

 

To get a syringe into the hens beak, wrap her firmly in a towel so that she can't flap and gently prize the beak apart with either fingers or the spouty bit of the syringe.

[chelsea]

I have steamed before and it worked with a soft shelled egg.

 

2 person job. One holding hen safely above tubtrug/bucket of warm water, other person below holding towel around hens bottom and the bucket to ensure the steam doesnt escape. Hold for 5 mins or so. Few minutes later the egg popped out.

[Biker Betty]

And how long had the egg been stuck in there before you managed to get it out? I reckon mine's been two days now.

 

I have tried a hot bath again tonight but no joy - it just stressed her out even more.

 

She is so weak and her eyes are shutting all the time.

[SeramaSilly]

You could try directing a warm hairdryer at her rear end - this has worked for me a number of times after soaking the chook in a very warm bath for at least 30 minutes. None of my chooks liked the bath but loved the hairdryer. Or maybe just try the hairdryer as she gets so stressed with baths?

 

I do hope she passes it soon.

 

x

[Lizzie]

My vet gave our hen two hormone injections - it should work after the first injection though (I think they did a couple of hours between).

 

Regards

Liz

[shtw00724]

I wish I knew what to tell you but don't have much experience. Just wanted to wish you well and hope everything works out okay. Have you tried ringing one of the recommended vets from the chicken health thread for their advice? (unless your vet is a specialist). I think a lot of them will happily give advice and suggestions at no charge.

 

Susie

[Biker Betty]

Aw - thanks for that Susie - I hadn't actually thought of phoning one of them - good idea.

 

And thanks for being sweet enough just to wish her well.

[Hen Watch]

Oh - and does anyone know how on earth you can get a syringe in a chicken's mouth?!

 

I've just finished 10 days of syringing Baytril into Stella. Have to say day 1 I was rubbish and by day 10 I was a pro!. I was far too softly softly at first. I hold her firmly, with my hand over the top of her head prize open the beak a few millimetres and put syringe in. The vet said to squeeze a tiny bit in at a time drop by drop so she didn't choke.

 

Good luck and hope she gets better.

[Biker Betty]

Ah thanks for that advice - thankfully, I am not needing to use the syringe right now - she is drinking well from a little cup which contains a cocktail of baytril, zolcal-d and metacam mixed with water - no doubt that advice will come in useful at some point though!

 

She's been really bright and chirpy today but still no egg!

[Biker Betty]

Well if it wasn't for a bit of a waddle and I didn't know she still had an egg stuck I wouldn't know there's much wrong with her this morning! She is her usual naughty self and has bolted down some food - she seemed very hungry - especially for green coloured things?! And she definitely liked the weetabix with a bit of yoghurt on it!

 

In fact she has become something of a cucumber addict - she can't get enough - which is handy because I've been able to put all her meds on it this morning.

 

I keep checking her crop and there's nothing much in there so she must be functioning relatively normally.

 

She really wanted to be outside today so she's in a temporary run and wandering about quite happily, perky tail and everything! Very strange.

[Egluntyne]

That sounds encouraging. Maybe it is shifting.

[Biker Betty]

Hello again

 

My little chook has been getting better and better over the past few days - so much so that she has become her usual very naughty self! I have been keeping her in a separate temporary run during the day and leave the top of her box open so she can feed in there. This morning I was taking food down for the other girls and she jumped out and chased me down the garden (running) and hopped straight in with the others to help them with their grub!

 

I have also checked her bum this morning and whilst it still feels a bit swollen, its nowhere near as bad as before - and all the spasming of her vent has stopped too. I have found absolutely no evidence of the egg but yet she seems to be almost back to normal.

 

I am baffled - can anyone offer any suggestions?

[Biker Betty]

Well I am posting some good news today!!

 

After 2 weeks and lots of different remedies etc, my girl has finally passed the egg!! Well I'm almost certain of it anyway.

 

Yesterday I gave her 2ml of liquid paraffin as recommended to me by the ex batt careline - as they said, if i coudn't get it out from one end, I'd have to try the other!

 

I had to leave them on their own for a couple of hours this morning and have just been out to them - in the nesting box, there was definite evidence of a softie having been laid - only this time, the whole box was soaking wet. And there was also a solid lump of somthing in there - it looks a lot like a pale boiled egg yolk - and that's what I think it is, compacted yolk or something

 

The area which was swollen around her vent - it was hard before - is now noticeably softer, though still a little swollen - but the spasming of her vent and the apparent straining has gone which is why i think it was her egg.

 

I have never been so pleased to have to clean out the nesting box.

 

I will keep an eye on her over the next few days but I am hoping that because she is already a lot stronger, she will make a full recovery.

 

In the meantime, the others have all almost totally stopped laying this week (possibly in sympathy?) and any that have come out have been softies. I have been giving them zolcal-d for almost 2 weeks now and is it having no effect. I don't want this to happen again. Does anyone know anything which may help them absorb the calcium better? They do also have constant access to grit and oyster shell which they eat a lot of.

 

Thank you all so much for your support over the past fortnight - I don't know what I would do without you all - and I'm hoping that this stream might help somebody else in the same boat.

 

Bx

[Egluntyne]

Cod liver oil contains the Vit D 3 necessary for metabolising calcium.

[Biker Betty]

Brilliant - can I add that to their food?

[sgregson]

Well done you (and your girl)

 

So pleased to hear that the egg has passed.

[Biker Betty]

Thank you - that means a lot. Bx

[Egluntyne]

Brilliant - can I add that to their food?

 

Yes...that is what I do. Just dollop to half a bucketful of pellets and a good mix round.

 

Nothing more scientific than that.

[Lizzie]

Fantasic news - what a relief for you and your girl !!

 

Best wishes

 

Liz

 

p.s - how much liquid parafin did you have to give and where did you get it from ?

[Biker Betty]

I gave her 2ml in a syringe straight down her neck (she wasn't that happy about it to be honest). I got it from an independent chemists - it used to be a remedy for constipation in humans but it's not very well recommended these days. I got some very funny looks in Boots and Superdrug when I asked for it (they don't stock it anymore) - they looked horrified. And then they just looked at me as if I was mental when i tried to explain it was for a chicken...

Fortunately, the little independent place was lovely and the woman behind the counter used to keep chickens herself so was fascinated! It only cost me £1.50 - well spent if you ask me.

I can highly recommend it.

[Budgies]

My vet recommended cuttle fish bone ground up and mixed into a porridge with some pellets or meal and a little water plus a bit of cod liver oil will provide additional calcium which they could probably do with right now.

 

About 1tsp powdered cuttle fish bone (or grated) per hen.

[Biker Betty]

That's a great bit of advice and easier for me to get hold of cuttlefish than limestone flour. I will get some today.

 

Sounds like you have a good vet - I now have vet envy!

[skye]

Congratulations on having helped your girl to pass her egg Biker Betty

 

You must be so relieved - and so must she.