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

[chixandthecity]

After posting earlier about Blossom going downhill fast, she seems to have improved a bit as the day has worn on.

 

We now think she may be eggbound as I looked at her vent and it was sort of open looking (don't really know what it looks like normally though as we're new to this game!) and it was palpitating. I then felt under her abdomen and could feel an egg. She hasn't laid since Friday and has been heading to the nest regularly. Other symptoms include lethargy, loss of appetite (though drinking lots) and white liquidy poo (no longer has any solid matter in it as she hasn't eaten much since Saturday).

 

We kept her inside in a warm box all day. Tried but mostly failed with the warm bath. She wouldn't really keep her vent in the water and kept drinking it too! However, we went out this afternoon and when we got back, she was eating her pellets and looking perkier. We let her go outside for a while to see what she would do and she was more alert than she had been. She didn't try to go into the nest either.

 

We decided to bring her back in to the box for the night, but she was NOT keen to go in, jumped out in fact! She stood there clucking and poking her head out, so we let her go back outside. She even chased some sweetcorn which I scattered for them all.

 

She does look happier, although I don't want to jump the gun and we'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

chix

[Biker Betty]

Having just been through this very thing myself, have a read through my streams as I tried all sorts of things - though it sounds like your girl is in a better way than mine was to start with - she might just be having a bit of a struggle. If its a solid egg, it'll probably be a lot easier for her to pass.

 

Keep and eye on her crop and make sure she drinks plenty for the time being. Mine loved cucumber as a way of getting liquid into her when she was really poorly.

 

And if you take her inside at all, even if she's still feisty, just put a towel or old pillowcase or something over the top to calm her down a bit. When it's dark she'll be a lot calmer.

[Budgies]

If she has got an egg stuck and you can still feel it tomorrow (assuming she's not been able to lay it) you'd do best to take her to the vet.

 

They're very good at hiding their suffering - when my Chutney had a huge egg stuck and a prolapse she was still pecking round the garden etc and just stopping every now and again to strain. They quickly lose their strength and infection can set in.

 

If you can get your hands on any Zolcal-d, give her some of that. Calcium not only forms the shells of their eggs but helps to make their contractions to expel the eggs stronger and more regular. Very good luck with her!

[Egluntyne]

Article **here** on egg binding.

[Plum]

How is Blossom? has she managed to pass the egg. Thinking of you.

[chixandthecity]

Hello there

 

Thanks for your thoughts. You're so kind.

 

The latest Blssom situation is that she hasn't passed an egg yet.

 

She got up this morning and came out into the run, had a little peck at one of the other chickens (surely a good sign!) and then free ranged for quite a while. She was also keen to eat some layers pellets soaked in plain yoghurt. She started looking sorry for herself after about an hour or so, so she's now back inside in the warm box and seems quite listless again. Her poos are more normal looking today though.

 

I've phoned the vet and am waiting for poultry person to ring me back.

 

As if one wasn't enough, I noticed that Poppy, one of our newer hens who is bottom of the pecking order, was also standing around with her eyes closed and then putting her head under her wing. She doesn't seem herself now. Her poo has been weird for a few days, almost looks like she isn't digesting her pellets properly. She hasn't laid since she came to us about three weeks ago and is too skitttish for me to pick up and check over.

 

We only have one normal looking chicken!

 

where will it end?!

 

Chix

[Biker Betty]

Poor girls - sounds like they're going through it a bit at the moment!

 

Could they just have an upset stomach or something? Is the yoghurt that you're feeding them, live or probiotic yoghurt? That helps their stomach.

 

I fed my egg bound girly a mixture of anti-biotics from the vet, metacam (this is an anti-inflamatory drug that I had for my cat originally but works on chickens too) and zolcal-d. So see if you can get some of those from the vet.

 

It's all very worrying isn't it? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and your girls - let us know how you get on.

[chixandthecity]

Hi there

 

Been to vets with both Blossom and Poppy (she was acting odd, lethargic and doing, strange poos).

 

I explained that Blossom had passed a 'lash' as I believe it's called and that she seems happier now. I emptied the poo tray just now and there was some jelly like stuff and more of the rubbery stuff in there. Yuk. Vet said he couldn't feel anything lodged inside her. He gave her an antibiotic injection.

 

He checked Poppy and said she's thin (which she is). She does eat a fair bit though. Anyway, he gave her antibiotic too along with a B12 injection. He also gave me Solubenol worming treatment for the three of them.

 

So, sick ones seem a bit improved this afternoon and are all outside. Time will tell.

 

Thanks for the advice in previous posts!

 

Chix

[Biker Betty]

Really glad to hear it Chix - sounds like your girls will live long to tell the tale! Well done on your prompt action.

[Hen Watch]

Hi Chix, hope they get better soon.

 

I've been to vets today too. Henny has hugely swollen abdomen but is not egg bound, laboured breathing, not eating much, sits with eyes closed. Vet says may be peritonitis, or heart problem, or infection, or tumour. Just can't tell, but she's been given antibiotic jab plus oral antibiotics for next 10 days.

 

Her companion Stella has exactly identical symptions 1 month ago and she too was not egg bound even though I had convinced myself that she was due to her large undercarriage...... but on the positive side, her course of antibiotics last month did the trick and she's happy and laying again. So I'm keeping fingers crossed that same happens for my Henny.

[Plum]

Oh these poor chickens hope they all recover.

[Budgies]

Sorry to hear that Henwatch. A swollen abdomen and laboured breathing is usually related to egg peritonitis. Being eggbound (ie an egg being stuck) doesn't make them fill with fluid, whereas having peritonitis (where the egg yolk leaves the ovary and goes the wrong way) does make them swell with fluid as their bodies are trying to deal with a foreign object (ie an egg yolk in the wrong place)

 

Unfortunately this condition doesn't tend to get any better. We had our girl put to sleep just over a week ago with this - I didn't feel it was fair on her that when she was trying to hunker down and rest, her breathing was at its worst.

 

Didn't seem like much of a quality of life for a wee hen to me.

 

I do hope your girl responds to the medication.