Slightly off colour - possibly egg bound?

[kathyd]

Hi

One of my adult hens (hybrid) seems a bit off colour. I only noticed this a couple of hours ago - she seemed fine yesterday. She's not very interested in food, and is sitting on her own with her tail down. I picked her up quite easily (most unusual!), and I can't see anything dribbling from any orifice, or find anything obviously wrong. She looks bright eyed enough, and her red bits are still nice and red, and there's food in her crop.

Whilst she may just be having an off day I guess, I'm wondering whether she could be egg bound? I've got one very broody hen at the moment, and it's generally upset the others - nesting boxes and laying spaces have been a particular issue although I thought we'd overcome most of the problems. However, Hetty didn't lay an egg yesterday (not unusual in itself), but also hasn't laid yet today. When they don't lay one day, they normally lay quite early the next - although to be fair her friend Custard also hasn't laid either day so far but seems otherwise fine. She did spend a long time in a next box yesterday with no results, and when I took her into their indoor earlier she did poke her head into a box but didn't go inside.

I'm probably just worrying about nothing, but if anyone could tell me the symptoms of being egg bound, and what I should do about it, I'd be grateful please. Even if I don't need to know this time, it'd be useful to be prepared for the future . Any other suggestions also welcome! Thx

[petal]

How old is she? have you changed her diet recently? it seems odd that you could easily pick her up if she is normally difficult. is she walking like a penguin at all? I would keep a close eye- if she is egg bound a warm bath can help matters to start with.

[kathyd]

Hi Petal

When I got her last October the man I bought her from thought she was about a year old, but I can't guarantee that. The second time I tried to pick her up she did run off a bit, but not fast and not far, and I managed to catch her again. Twice today! No change of diet, no. She's not walking like a penguin, no. I'm not sure what I'm looking for to be honest, but I couldn't feel anything weird and wonderful going on underneath her, or see anything unusual under her tail. I'm beginning to think it's not egg boundedness (?!) but something else altogether. Maybe she's caught a cold or something? She did feel slightly quivery the second time I picked her up, but it stopped quite quickly. Could she be suffering broodiness-in-sympathy?? Of all of them, she's the one I'd have put my money on to go broody! Maybe she's jealous . I suppose all I can do for now is keep an eye on things. At what point should I start to worry - another day? Two days? Assuming she doesn't start to show other symptoms in the meantime of course.

[RichmondHens]

What you are describing is a chicken not feeling well, the cause of which could be any number of things. Typically, symptoms of being egg bound are repeated visits to the nestbox and attempts to lay with nothing produced, squatting and straining, a bit like constipation. A warm bath may help relax the muscles and allow a stuck egg to pass but if the egg is really enormous then a trip to the vet will be in order. Sometimes it's only possible to get the egg out by breaking it and the hen will then require antibiotics to prevent infection setting in.

I suspect she may be off colour for another reason. Keep an eye on her but as long as she is eating a little and drinking, pooing normally etc there is not a lot you can do for the moment. You may find things resolve in a day or so. If she gets worse and other symptoms appear it may be wise to separate her to give her quiet time away from the other hens and also to minimise any possible infection spread.

[kathyd]

Hi RH

I agree, I don't think it's egg related, having watched her during the afternoon. I've just found her standing in the pouring rain all by herself, soaking wet, while the others were sheltering. I picked her up and held her wrapped up in an old towel to try to soak up some of the water on her feathers and warm her up a bit, and offered some junk food (soz, I know it's naughty but I felt it was justified!) - she ate some breadcrumbs as though she's famished, and then let me put her in the coop without any argument. First time I've seen her eat today, so I was pleased. I removed the broody to give her chance to settle down in peace, and when I left her she seemed to be sitting on a perch facing the wall, but at least somewhere warm and dry. I'll monitor things tomorrow and get the isolation cage prepared just in case...

[petal]

I would isolate her right now, you have a chance of aiding her recovery if you do- try her on my wonder food - 'emp' a canary starter food which is egg based- we give it to young chicks and sick hens.

[kathyd]

Hi Petal - at the moment she's taken herself off into the veggie garden with the others, and was last seen drinking water from a scrap of landscaping fabric, and dribbles from the polytunnel sides... in between sunbathing on the gravel. So although she's still 'not right', she does seem to be feeling a bit better this morning, touch wood. She came over for porridge and mealworms this morning with the others too, which is also a good sign. So I'm keeping an eye on her, and if she goes off again during the day I'll definitely take your advice and isolate her. I don't suppose I can get hold of 'emp' over here, but I could certainly give her a bit of scrambled egg if you think that would help? It's one of her fave treats .

[Jax]

I am certainly no expert but have you tried live yoghurt. I tried it when I had a girly with a cold. Lots of cider vinegar and live yoghurt and she was back to being a bossy banty! She seemed to come over all of a sudden and seperated herself and was really gasping for air but abit of tlc and she recovered well. Fingers crossed your girly recovers well too x

[kathyd]

Thx Jax . I'm pleased to say that by this evening she appeared to be almost back to normal as far as I can tell. She's been running around, taking shelter from the rain with her friends, and eating with the others again. And her tail's been up, all day! My only problem now is that she's decided that since she's feeling better, maybe she should lay an egg... in a nest box that's outside the coop, and it's almost dark! Ack! So I don't know whether to leave her, or pick her up and put her inside! I think I'll leave it a few more minutes and then go lift her back inside - I think it's going to be a cold night tonight, and I want her all snuggled up even if it does mean a soft shelled egg in the morning! And I can lift the other one off the roof at the same time.. *sigh * .

[Jax]

oh dear, great fun aye!! Make sure you get ready to catch just in case. I done it yesterday with a pekin banty. Thought she was broody, has been sitting on eggs alot and being nasty when in the box. Picked her up to put her in the run and out dropped an egg!! Ooopsie!!