Well this afternoon on my daily inspection of my birds and their cabinets I came to find Shiloh (Kaz's sky DF YF1 TCB) to be on the floor of the cabinet and not looking too good at all. Instantly since i knew she already had 5 eggs I knew it was Egg binding. I got her out of the cabinet, got Bob to foster the eggs and brang her inside to aid her. By this time it was already 7:30.

Bob and i took her to the bathroom, plucked the feathers from around her vent for clear acces and got the oil ready and turned the hot taps on to make the room hot and humid. Her colour was bad and since i hadn't been out to check the birds since this morning when she was fine I checked her crop which was empty, I gave her a crop feed and started to add oil to her vent.

Her bum "sucked" it up which started to make me feel a bit better and her poop was still able to pass out as she pooped a few times also. Now normally I'd get her to the avian vet or Ranford vet who also deal with egg binding, but it was too late to do so and the local 24/7 animal hospital doesn't deal with bird matters. So I decided to try the massaging it out myself as the vets had done to my other hens. It worked, i massaged her stomach for a while and aided the egg to pass properly through her pelvis. I hooked a finger under it when it was through to stop it going back in, with minor pressure to make sure it was all her work. We then took her to the bedroom and got her comfortable on a towel and helped her get into birdy "birthing position" with her tail up allowing her vent to do the work, after 15 or so minutes of my constant pressure, oil and massaging she began to push. Eventually we saw the tiniest spec of an egg begin to emerge from her vent but surrounded in some kind of yellow mebrane with minor blood vessels in it. I paniced a bit and worried it was her organs coming out with it, but then realised if I can see the egg in it it wasn't an actual organ per say, but the passage the egg comes out of.

I kept the pressure, although looked away and eventually she pushed the egg all the way out and the surrounding membranes sucked back inside her vent. Immediatly she hopped up and was acting very chirpy. She's now in the incubator with seed and water and chirping her box off to come out.

 

Now I normally say don't try these ways of self treating animals at home, but tonight i had no other option but to do it. I was paranoid it wouldn't work out as she's an older hen and sooo concerned that her insides were going to come out as i've heard freak stories before, but I knew she had to pass the egg or was going to die with it in her so took it into my own hands. I'm very glad I did and didn't push the limits to harm the bird, although when you see the pictures you'll probably think she looks in pain, but she stayed calm and collected through the whole process. In the end the egg turned out to be a soft shelled on and she is now officially retired Alls well that ends well.

 

P.s. sorry for the long story, but I thought you'd all like to see and know how the whole thing happened.

 

Unfortunatly photobucket won't let me edit the photo's size, so i'll add them all as links.

 

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/1libby/P3133050.jpg - When she first came in, didn't even care being on my hand.

 

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/1libby/P3133048.jpg - Her swollen and bruised vent

 

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/1libby/P3133053.jpg - adding oil to her vent

 

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/1libby/P3133063.jpg - Finger under egg and egg just showing through membranes

 

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/1libby/P3133064.jpg - Egg starting to protrude more

 

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/1libby/P3133067.jpg - a millisecond before finally popping out

 

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/1libby/P3133074.jpg - Her vent afterwards

 

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/1libby/P3133073.jpg - Shiloh and her soft egg all better now.

 

 

Also I'd just like to add a disclaimer that this is not my normal choice nor should anyone take it into their own hands unless they have to as I did. If you do have to however make sure not to use excessive pressure and rupture the egg. Although it looks like I pushed her all egg forcing was done by Shiloh herself, i simply elevated the egg to the point she was comfortable to contract at.

 

I'd never recommend anyone do this and to be frank I didn't want to or will never do it again unless forced.

Great rescue Libby. I must add also that you have a greater experience with birds than a lot of people, and so much can go horribly wrong. Glad it worked out...she is a very special girl....and so are you.

She sure is a special girl Shiloh's a favourite of mine along with Mars, Candy and Zeuss What can I say, you have great birds Kaz

Very well done Libby, she is lucky to have you.

Wow Libby between the two of you ya did a great job, that really looked painfull. I am glad it all worked and Shiloh's all better now.

After this I think Shiloh is due for retirement Lib

Already been retired Kaz

wow lib that was grose but amazing

i think i would have opted fo a vet lol

although i had a bird that prolapsed two days ago i thought that was grose

she is all good and now but i wont ever breed her

thanks for that post it was very interesting love that really helpful stuff

but i wont ever do it to scary if a warm bath or steam dont help its a vet for mybirds your birds lucky to have you you do some amazing things for them

Thanks so much for posting it Libby. Very helpful... I'm glad she's doing okay now.

I had a hen that had the same issue, non of the bird vets where open so i took her to the local vet hospital and the bird died. You with your experience made the right choice, good on you and good on the hen for coming through this like a champ

Wow what an ordeal! Very informative, what a rescue! I myself have lost a hen to egg binding, and know how quickly you need to react to have any hope of saving them. I'm so happy for your that she pulled through.

Great helpful post!