Settie Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 One of my hens is looking very sorry for herself tonight and recently some egg white came out of her bottom. She is hunched and wants to hide in small dark places which is unusual for her. I'm really worried that an egg may have broken inside her. I have brought her into the house to keep her a bit warmer. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Tilytinkle Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Hello Settie So sorry to hear about your little lady. One of our chickens we thought had this problem & it didnt look good, she was very very ill. After my daughter scoured the forum she took little bits of info from a few different topics to attempt to assist our chicken . We put a few inches of warm water in our utility room sink, which we then sat poorly Medus into. I gently moved the water over her front & underneath & very gently massaged her to see if I could feel any shell or move the egg if she was egg bound etc We kept the warm water at a constant temperature so she maintained comfortable heat. She seemed more relaxed & a little less ill looking, she ate some grapes!! We did this for about an hour her little laying tackle was moving non stop as if she was trying to lay. Nothing was happening. We dried her & put her back out side hoping that surely a chicken has its own remedy for this kind of ailment/problem. She was hunched over & looked very sorry for herself & exhausted but she wanted to stay with the rest of the flock so she would move around with them but stand still when they were foraging. The next day she was exactly the same, so we did exactly the same again. Just as you said, this time she released a whitish liquid with traces of a yolk. My daughter then suggested she wasn't egg bound but an egg had broken inside of her & scaring the life out of me said "and we have to get it out or else she'll die!!!!" Hmmm, no time to check facts I did as my daughter suggested, after all she'd been reading the forum while I was bathing Medusa. She said I needed vaseline, rubber gloves & two fingers should gently remove the shell. After what seemed like eternity with daughter getting very stressed & mouthy ie "Mum WHAt are you doing, help her!!!!" I decided maybe this wasn't a good time to be a wimp or squeamish!!! SO my daughter, reading from her notes, proceeded to tell me what to do next . Terrified & anxious & all other emotions possible I reluctantly explored for the broken shell whilst also telling Medusa she'd be okay & I was very sorry to put her through such indignities (it helped me relax!!!) Anyway, after first going the wrong way!!!! I then very gently explored the correct way as stated in notes, and unbelievable sure enough there was remanants of soft broken/torn shell - its hard to say whether or not I couldve torn it or broken it , but anyway somehow it moved into a position where Medusa could expel it. There was also the soft runny egg which needed removing, maybe there was more then one, anyway after a few exhausting moments eventually she seemed to want to rest and her tackle slowed & stopped moving. She was very tired & didn't look well. We kept the water on her, massaged her then after a while dried her. We gave her some treats which she devoured hungrily popped her back with the other chooks & she still looked poorly. We did this bathing again the following day then decided to leave nature to it's course as her tackle was very still, she just looked weak. Long story short Dear medusa survived, her tail is back upright she runs with the flock, eats well & is a happy lovely chick . .she no longer lays but pretends she does I have no idea whether what we did saved her or just a coincidence. I'm sure nature can assist if it possibly can & we all were so lucky. I am unsure if this will help your chicken but I am sure, although I cant say exactly, but I'm sure it helped ours survive. Good Luck, hope your chicken makes a full recovery. Ms Tillywonderswhythemoonissoolowtonightneverseenitatsuchananglebefore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Settie Posted August 28, 2009 Author Share Posted August 28, 2009 Thank you so much for all that Ms Tilytinkle. (And well done! )Our girl cheered up a bit during the night, managed a bit of nectarine for breakfast and is out foraging with the others today. She does still seem to be straining a bit so we may do the warm water treatment after school when there will be a helper around. She was so miserable last night that we didn't think she would enjoy being dried too much. Fingers tightly crossed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Tilytinkle Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 sorry bit of a ramble ... really I hope someone more experienced gives you further options and advice as we just didnt really know what to do, (didnt have a car that day either so vets was a no no) Think we just got lucky!!! Hope yours continues to pick up & makes speedy recovery Ms Tillyhopesyouhavealovelyweekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 How long ago ms Tillywinkle? I had one that I thought was pretending, turned out she had another one blocked!(she managed to shift one that the vet just could not get after 3 attemps over a week.) Don't want to scare anyone, but she died well she had to be pts as she got weak & sick all of a sudden. thought she was just going through the motions for about 3 weeks!!! Another one then laid multiple lashes, and perhaps some did not come out. She is in possible recovery though the vet does not think we will win this one. on her 2nd course of Baytrill after 1st one of 12 days, although she IS right now at this moment in her retirement, enjoying life! please please keep a watchful eye as they really can go right down really fast if there IS anything left inside going bad, and only fast action then will save her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Tilytinkle Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Ooh goodness, erm Medusa was poorly months ago. It was very cold outside. She looks better then ever now too, all bright eyed & upright fluffy tailed. She eats loads, forages with the girls. Curious & naughty She still pops into the laying box every day . . makes a right noise then doesn't leave anything . . hence me thinking she pretends to lay. Her 'tackle' stopped moving once everything seemed to come out. Maybe I need to watch her closer see if she is actually laying. Thankyou Sandyhas3chucks, it is sooo scary when they're poorly, as I said think we just hit lucky & she was maybe so healthy prior hence surviving. Ms TilyhopesSettieschickenisstillgettingbetter,thatthereisntanyinfectionpresent andalliswell-ifnotpleaserequestfurtheradviceortaketovets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Think you will know if she gets poorly... Didn't want to scare you.... just make you aware! Hate for it to happen to soneone else & I had read post & said nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Tilytinkle Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Absolutely, hence my hoping someone with further experience would come along & share theirs. The more options & solutions the better for our girlies Ms TillyhopeseveryoneshavingalovelyBankHolidaySunday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesL Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I've got the same thing with Hilda. About 3 months ago she had a burst egg. It looked like a deflated balloon hanging out of her so we gently pulled it out and gave her a good wash. She has lost all her soft feathers around her bottom and is looking very raggy. We have been putting Sudocrem on her skin and spraying her with violet spray. About 2 weeks ago she started laying again. However, yesterday I noticed she disappeared under a big bush in the garden and didn't come out all day other than to have some porridge oats with yoghurt. Once she had eaten she went straight back under the bush again. Very unlike her. We have looked at her vent which seemed to be oozing what looked like egg white so I'm assuming she has had a softie burst. We've (or rather my other half!) has had a feel around but he cannot feel any broken shell inside her. I'm not really sure what to do now. Last time she picked up after a few days but took weeks before she started laying again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
