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If readers are not familiar with this word, egg bound hen is a situation when hens can’t pass egg that may be stuck close to cloacae or deep inside the reproductive tract. This problem is mostly common in small birds for example lovebirds, cockatiels, budgies and finches. Egg binding in chickens is an attention gaining problem for all those you either has these birds or for those who are involved in birds in any other way like for poultry farming purposes, trading purposes, personal pets etc. Some of the main causes for this problem are mentioned as follow:
Causes:
The egg stuck in chickens near cloacae can cause some serious damage to the health of the chicken. Causes for this could be few including extra large size of the egg, thin/weak hen due to lack of Calcium or Hypocalcaemia Syndrome level can also result in some serious problems in egg laying chickens. Unusual dryness at the inner part of the hen also includes in the list of reasons for being egg bound. Another important thing to note here egg bound is different from decrease in hen’s egg laying and broodiness in hens which have have their own causes and solutions.
Symptoms:
Symptoms of egg bound chicken could be many. Some common symptoms includes the hen will be trying to produce the egg, could be looking actually sick or drowsy and also may be seen walking fluffed, swelled, large droppings and bleeding are also some of the signs of egg bound hen. These birds are really weak so we have to be very careful in these conditions. Sometimes egg is broken inside, if it happens, the best option is to show the chicken immediately to a veterinarian. It may need a surgery, x-ray, some medical treatments or confirm diagnosis.
Treatments:
In case you have checked for the symptoms and you find out that your hen is egg bound then you must consider these egg bound chicken’s treatments. Try to massage the chicken’s abdomen gently and you might feel an egg shape limb. Keep massaging for 30 minutes approximately. For helping egg bound hen, you have to keep her warm and water should be available all the time for the hen to drink. If you are giving the chicken steam then you must take care of the temperature as it should be controlled and steady between 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you find the chicken trying hard for laying egg and failing again and again then in this case, you must massage her egg laying portion with lubricant, it will create ease in laying the egg.
This all seems to be like a common problem that can be easily handled. But you need to be really careful during egg bound chicken treatments as it is a very problematic condition for the chickens. The over sized egg leaves no option but to collapse the egg by pricking it with a large syringe. It is big enough to take out all the stuff of the egg outside the chicken. One possible risk for this method is that the sharp edge of shell may cut the uterus. Although it may not happens all the time as the shell collapse inwards but there is a possibility. It is the case sometimes that the chicken is weak and the treatment for this is to provide her with some extra calcium.
The similar treatment will help the hen to lay the egg in a few hours so if you see an egg and see the hen active, this means that the she is good now but if she is continuously dropping and showing ill behavior, then the hen might need some more treatment. But in case the chicken is active again and you don’t found any egg then you must be wrong about the egg bound situation. The problem might be something else in this case. But you have to keep this in mind that all the time during the treatment you have to keep that hen separate from others as you are never sure about what is actually wrong with her. If there is a virus in any particular hen and you didn’t separate her from others then you might lose all your flock and that is what you’ll never wish to happen. The food of that bird will also be different from others. Provide her with high-calorie, high-calcium food to help strengthen future eggs and to save her from egg binding. If you give the same food to others as well, it will be better as it will help in preventing egg binding for all the birds you have and also will increase in egg production
Well I learned something new today! In all the years we had chickens I never heard of this. Hopefully I won’t have to deal with it, but if I do come across it, I will know what to do! Thank you!
Right it is not common in backyard chickens due to not present of conditions that might lead to this situation(genetics, poor feed, heavy worm infestations) but as a backyard chicken raisers one should be aware of it.