[Nat100]

Just wondered if anyone had any ideas what might be wrong with my hen. She is a little over a year old, just gone through her first moult and looking great. However the last few days she has just been standing in a corner of her run while her 3 'sisters' run round the garden doing what chickens do. Her tail is down and she isn't eating as much as normal and she seems a little unsteady on her feet. I have actually fetched her indoors now and she is eating but not loads, she is drinking and is looking round with bright eyes..no nasal disharge, sneezing or the like. Her poo is a bit sloppy. She hasn't got any kind of parasite as far as I can see.
Couls she be egg bound or could it be something else..any ideas?? Her crop is soft so it's not that.
Thanks!!

[Roxy]

I would say egg bound may be the reason, or at least you can assume that.  Is her vent pulsating as though she is trying to lay an egg?  Sitting her in a bowl of warm water will help - although she may struggle at first.  Fingers crossed by tomorrow she will have laid the troublesome egg.

[Nat100]

It is pulsating yes..although I have had a good feel of her and I can't feel a thing but I will try the warm water!!

[Helencus]

I tried putting a little bit of Vaseline inside the vent use surgical gloves tho! The hen did lay after that and vet said it was ok to do so long as you are very careful not to break egg or introduce germs etc. Hope she is better soon

[Rosemary]

You could try getiing some liquid paraffin down her.

[langdon]

paraffin?
isnt that the stuff you burn in the glass house during winter.
how could that help?
please im not trying to be funny, just would never have thought of putting it
down an animal to treat it.

[northfifeduckling]

did you mean Glycerine, Rosemary?? 

[sagehen]

Not the same stuff as the one you put in a burner or lantern  Medicinal paraffin is what you take when you're constipated  If you go to the chemist, you can ask for liquid paraffin oral emulsion BP.

[northfifeduckling]

I'll do just tha and give it to the cat -in the hope she takes it, the poor thing 

[sagehen]

Oh dear, you've got a constipated cat  I'm not sure if I'd ever know if mine was, because he does all his business outside!

[northfifeduckling]

Apologies, Nat100 for highjacking your post...the cat doesn't fancy going out when it's so cold (sadly for us,lol) and she whines a bit each time she goes to poo. She had a period of throwing up a lot and that's what the vet said at the time. It might just be starting again, so I'll give Rosemary's tip a go. 

[shetlandpaul]

check fist it kills dogs

[northfifeduckling]

Thanks, Paul, will do. 

[doganjo]

check fist it kills dogs

Never heardf of that before - how do you know that, Paul?

I have given it to cats to eliminate hair balls, adn I'm sure my vet told me to give it to a dog once ages ago

[shetlandpaul]

sorry i was wrong.