[sagehen]

Okay I've got an eggbound hen, and I've done everything I possibly can - steamed her above a hot bath, chucked oral paraffin down her, and even got my finger with vaseline up her vent, where I can feel the offending egg, but she's still not laying!! Grrrrr  I'm at my wit's end, and short of going to the vet, what else can I do? She seems fine, still doing chickeny things, but I don't think she can carry on like that.

[sagehen]

No one's got any advice for me    

[doganjo]

Rosemary and chickenlady are the ones with most experience I think, try a PM.  Sorry can't help any more than that, I'd have done teh same so far.

[CameronS]

Can't give much advise, but what ever you do DON'T break the egg. it would risk letting infection in, that will kill her.
 Have you tried submersing her in a bath of warm water as opposed to holding her over?
it's worth ago

good luck anf fingers crossed for her

[juliag]

sorry, I cant help either as I have never had an egg bound hen but just for the info how do you know she is eggbound? What would I be looking outfor with an egg bound hen? 

[Rosemary]

I've never had one either. Sorry.

[sagehen]

Thanks for the replies. Cameron, most articles write about not breaking the egg, but I've read some that says sometimes you need to puncture the egg (it has to be quite close to the vent to extricate the shells) but I'm not sure if I can do that cos I don't want to hurt her (plus like you said, there might be a risk of infection). I've sat her in our bath for about half an hour, with her legs all splayed out earlier, but no luck. She's in a box in the other room, asleep at the moment.

julia, there's a whole list of symptoms, including a hen dragging her bum low on the ground, runny, messy bottom, fluffing of feathers etc, but the easiest way to tell is by touching her bottom area, my chook's is distended and rock hard, and her vent is protruding as well. She's been poorly with infectious bronchitis earlier, and got better, and I didn't think she was going to lay again, which was fine by me, but I didn't expect her to get eggbound 

[doganjo]

I just read on this site that epsom salts added to the warm water can help - http://www.hencam.com/henblog/faq/egg-bound-hens/
And this might be helpful - An immediate increase in calcium will do nothing to harden the shell of an already formed egg but will do wonders in improving the muscle action needed to expel the egg. Calcivet by Vetafarm, provides not only the calcium, but also the D3 needed to absorb the calcium. It can be served in the drinking water or sprouted seed if the bird is still eating and drinking. If the bird has stopped eating and drinking, it can be administered directly into the crop. from this site - http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/eggbinding.htm

[shetlandpaul]

the only way the chuck is going to survive is if the eggs get removed. weird and may not work but have you thought of warm olive oil via the bottom. use something like a lambs stomach tube.

[northfifeduckling]

I've had an eggbound duck before - I couldn't do anything other than reduce the pellets. Now I would also mix a bit of  lime powder with the feed before trying to catch her.... A few days later she laid a weird giant sack without shell. I knew that's what was wriong with her because it had happened a short time after introducing the pellets which definitely increased egg production and she was obviously in great pain. If your hen is still doing all the things chickens do, is it not likely that it will sort itself out? 

[juliag]

poor girl, I hope you manage to sort it soon.

[lazybee]

Hey, What's the latest on this? Have you tried liquid parafin (food grade mineral oil) up the back end with a syringe, obviously without a needle. If not the most humane thing is to stop the suffering. Once youv'e done everything practical as a caring owner you really have no choice.