Is this internal laying or egg binding? [PICS]

[Nutcase]

This morning I noticed one of my hens has diarrhea and is not moving around as usual. Her bottom is hard, round and swollen as you can see:



There was a piece of loose shell hanging from her vent which fell out easily. She's struggling to push something else out. I gave her a warm bath and oiled her vent but she seems to be deteriorating. What is the difference between EYP symptoms and egg bound symptoms? And what should I do? Please help.

 

[MelissaTXRn]

First, I would do a cloacal exam to see if there is an egg inside.

 

[satay]

Not something I have had to deal with before but I have heard of people saying to insert olive oil into the vent to help expel the egg. She may require anitbiotics too.

 

[Nutcase]

I will do that. If it turns out to be EYP, will an exam tell me?

 

[babyfoot]

I had a hen who'd suffered internal laying. Didn't know until we opened her up after antibiotics did no good. Her vent wasn't swollen like that, she had instead a very hard swollen belly but nothing showed up on x rays. Only when we opened her and realised the whole tube was full of what looked like cooked scrambled eggs did we realise. So sad, didn't appear to be anyhting we could have done

 

[Nutcase]

I had a hen who'd suffered internal laying. Didn't know until we opened her up after antibiotics did no good. Her vent wasn't swollen like that, she had instead a very hard swollen belly but nothing showed up on x rays. Only when we opened her and realised the whole tube was full of what looked like cooked scrambled eggs did we realise. So sad, didn't appear to be anyhting we could have done

Thanks for the input, I'm hoping it's not that at this stage, she's still able to move around....only her vent area is hard/swollen so i am hoping for the best.

 

[Fancychooklady]

First, I would do a cloacal exam to see if there is an egg inside.

I agree, put a disposable glove on and do the examination . She may still have broken fragments of the egg internally . If she is still eating , give her some sardines in oil , chop them up and add a bit more oil , for good measure. You may need to bath here a few more times .

 

[babyfoot]

I'll keep my fingers crossed, sometimes internally laid eggs can be reabsorbed but depends on the rate of production. I have another hen whois permananetly off the lay (last three months now) it would appear and her belly swells up, then a few weeks later it goes back to normal but still no eggs. She also has trouble breathing when any pressure is applied to her abdomen. I am hoping to be able to afford to take her to the vets to have her spayed(?) because I love that little hen and would rather keep her with no egss than lose her

 

[Nutcase]

I'll keep my fingers crossed, sometimes internally laid eggs can be reabsorbed but depends on the rate of production. I have another hen whois permananetly off the lay (last three months now) it would appear and her belly swells up, then a few weeks later it goes back to normal but still no eggs. She also has trouble breathing when any pressure is applied to her abdomen. I am hoping to be able to afford to take her to the vets to have her spayed(?) because I love that little hen and would rather keep her with no egss than lose her

Spay as in a hysterectomy?

 

[babyfoot]

I think it's possible, I recall reading somewhere about it. I heard that over time of repeated internal laying causes scarring and infection can set in. Don't want to lose her as she is only 3 and the first chick we ever had but vets are so expensive