HELP! I think I have an egg bound hen

Could someone tell me the symptoms and whether there's anything I can do for her? So far we've placed her in some warm water and we lubricated the vent with ky jelly (boy did the folks at the store look at Joe funny when he bought ky jelly and rubber gloves). Nothing has happened. We have her separated from the flock in a dog kennel, and have brought her inside to my laundry room to keep an eye on her.

http://members3.boardhost.com/shilala/msg/1245508165.html

Here is a discussion I found I hope this helps. I have never had that problem so I had no clue but I read up on it so if it happens I will know.

Thanks Amy. I'd be afraid of breaking the egg. I've heard that can cause an entirely different set of problems. Guess right now it's a waiting game.

Well, we lost the hen and did an autopsy on her. It wasn't an egg, it was a tumor. We're keeping an eye on the rest of the flock and so far there's no signs of any of the rest of them getting sick. Pray that this was the only one. Thanks.

I have one that was fine this morning, tail drooping and not wanting to move this afternoon. And of course, I had no info w/me at the farm. I'm guessing she's egg bound. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can try until tomorrow. I'm hoping sitting her in the warm water will help. Can you use vaseline instead of ky jelly? I have that, but no ky.

I would think vaseline would serve the same purpose as the ky. Basically want to get them lubricated. Hope she's ok.

I'm not sure. I read that I could place her in warm water for 30 minutes and it would help loosen her up. I did it 2x today. The 2nd time, she pooped. I also tried the vaseline, but didn't feel anything that felt like an egg. She's eating and drinking, but still walking like a penguin. I'm starting to wonder if maybe she's not bound, but got stepped on. Either way, I have her separate. If I have to, I'll put her down.

Keep us posted. When ours had the tumor she was unable to move, or unwilling. Hopefully yours is just sore from being stepped on and will be doing better soon.

Well, she's still hanging in there, so I doubt that she's egg bound. From what I've read if she was, she would have died w/in 48 hours and it's well over that. She's walking a bit better today, and has a good appetite. I still have her separate, and if she continues to improve, I should be able to put her back w/the rest of the flock soon.

Good to hear she's still with us. Thanks for the update.

Well, I lost her. I found her dead this morning. I didn't have time to do a necropsy this morning, plus I've been feeling sick for the past several days, so I didn't bother w/her. So, I'm going on the assumption that she was either egg bound-but it was up high, she had a tumor or something else wrong w/her. But if I had to lose one, I was glad it was her, and not one of the others. I wasn't sure if she was laying, plus she had a bit of a crooked beak.

Dizzy,
I'm sorry that you lost her. I'm also sorry you have been under the weather. I guess this time of the year a lot of folks get out of sorts. With the changing weather and, at least in our area, ragweed is blooming, we always struggle this time of the year. Fortunately the ragweed isn't around for very long and I'm actually looking forward to some cooler weather. I only hope we have a colder winter this year than last to kill off some of the bugs.

Sorry for your loss dizzy. I hope you feel better soon.

Sorry about the chicken, Dizzy.

I'm so glad for this thread.  Yesterday we noticed a hen in pain, standing alone, so we took her out from the others and checked her out.  I think she's egg bound.  Tonight we bathed her and I put some ky-jelly in her vent and she finally pooped.  Her vent is extremely swollen and the little triangular "tail" (Not sure what you call it) is enlarged and red.

I know she hasn't laid an egg for 2 or 3 days and she moaned and refused to eat yesterday.  Tonight she ate a bit of bread.  We mixed some apple cider vinegar, sugar and water and gave her some, but she didn't drink much.  She loved the bath and didn't mind the blow dryer afterward.  She finally pooped a very runny greenish-yellow mess after all that.  I sure hope she makes it.  That's the best we could do for her.

Keep us posted on how she's doing.

She has been laying eggs, off and on, and seems to be doing much better. We had another hen come up with the same symptoms and we think it was from a mite problem. We've had so much rain that the chicken pen was several inches deep in water and mud. The poor girls couldn't take any dust baths and the flies and gnats were bothering them.

Fortunately, we've had a dry week and were able to dust everything, chickens included, with DTE. They perked up immediately and egg production has gone up again. The pen is dry and they are happy. I'm so glad!

Well, the hen we thought was egg bound passed some broken egg shell, so now we realize an egg broke inside her and she's infected. As far as we know, there's no cure for it. Poor thing.