My hen (I think) is egg bound. Last week she was doing giant poo's and so I thought she must be due soon. 5 days later still nothing and then another 3 days she was constantly in the nest box. She wasn't fluffed up and her tail wasn't bobbing and she wasn't panting either but she seemed a bit 'off'.

So yesterday I took her out and put her in the hospital cage with a warm lamp. I did feel an egg. She is eating and drinking.

Have I caused her to become egg bound because i took her out of the breeding cage?

I have made an avian vet appointment at 5pm.

Sounds like you didnt need to remove her from the breeding cage at all..........and she doesnt sound like she is eggbound either.

Edited August 30, 201014 yr by KAZ

Should I put her back in the breeding cage?

I would. What made you think she was eggbound ?

I have just put her back.

The reason I thought she might be egg bound was because she was doing the 'huge' poop's, egg bum and spending most of her time in the nest box but no eggs. That has been going on for a couple of weeks. I guess I was just being paranoid.

I have just put her back.

The reason I thought she might be egg bound was because she was doing the 'huge' poop's, egg bum and spending most of her time in the nest box but no eggs. That has been going on for a couple of weeks. I guess I was just being paranoid.

Well huge poops are normal before egg laying, as is eggbum, and time in the nestbox. Nothing else seems to indicate she is eggbound at all. If she was she would look very ill within 24 hours of trying to pass her egg and it wouldnt go on for weeks.

Thank you so much for your advice Kaz

I'm so upset because I found a different hen dead this afternoon in the bottom of her breeding cage. Seems she was egg bound She had laid 5 eggs and was due yesterday for number 6. I check all birds 3-4 times a day and nestboxes once a day in the afternoon/evening. She seemed fine and assumed she'd stopped at 5. I feel so angry with myself that I let her die.

I'm so upset because I found a different hen dead this afternoon in the bottom of her breeding cage. Seems she was egg bound She had laid 5 eggs and was due yesterday for number 6. I check all birds 3-4 times a day and nestboxes once a day in the afternoon/evening. She seemed fine and assumed she'd stopped at 5. I feel so angry with myself that I let her die.

With the amount of nestchecking you have been doing, it seems there is nothing you could have done in this case. Some of them just look like they are incubating and you leave them to it, and then they take one step outside the box and die. I would say you are doing all you can and you are very observant, so please dont kick your self over this. No blame okay ?

Edited August 30, 201014 yr by KAZ

Thanks Kaz. I know these things happen. *trying to stop crying*

My hen (I think) is egg bound. Last week she was doing giant poo's and so I thought she must be due soon. 5 days later still nothing and then another 3 days she was constantly in the nest box. She wasn't fluffed up and her tail wasn't bobbing and she wasn't panting either but she seemed a bit 'off'.

So yesterday I took her out and put her in the hospital cage with a warm lamp. I did feel an egg. She is eating and drinking.

Have I caused her to become egg bound because i took her out of the breeding cage?

I have made an avian vet appointment at 5pm.

this is a nice hen rach

good luck with her

sorry about your other bird

I'm so sorry about your hen dying. :laughter:

 

Do you have another hen who can foster those 5 eggs? I hope you can save at least some of them.

I'm so sorry about your hen dying. :laughter:

 

Do you have another hen who can foster those 5 eggs? I hope you can save at least some of them.

Thank you GB and Finnie. Yes, I fostered them immediately between 3 nests. 4 were showing fertile, the 5th was too early to tell.

This hen (green ring) still hasn't laid an egg. She sits in the nest box most of the time. Mates with the cock. Does huge poops. I thought maybe she might be eating her eggs, so this morning I gave her a clear egg from another nest and this afternoon its still in there and she is incubating it. I can't work out what is wrong with her and why she hasn't laid yet. Would it be best to take the nest away now? Cheers

Any evidence of egg eating? White flecks of egg shell leftover? Patches of yellow (egg yolk stains). Anything like that? If she has laid on any given day you should notice, after laying hens often look like they've gone from being fat to anorexic and then they are plump again the next day. My hens often come outside and fan their wings out and pant after laying an egg and then go back inside after a minute or two.

Any evidence of egg eating? White flecks of egg shell leftover? Patches of yellow (egg yolk stains). Anything like that? If she has laid on any given day you should notice, after laying hens often look like they've gone from being fat to anorexic and then they are plump again the next day. My hens often come outside and fan their wings out and pant after laying an egg and then go back inside after a minute or two.

Thanks Dean, I haven't noticed any egg shell or yolk stains or anything like that. Also she hasn't gone from anorexic to plump, she just seems to stay plump with an egg bum. All my other hens come out of their boxes for a few minutes after laying like you mentioned. Internal layer is the other possibility.

Edited September 26, 201014 yr by rachelm

Any evidence of egg eating? White flecks of egg shell leftover? Patches of yellow (egg yolk stains). Anything like that? If she has laid on any given day you should notice, after laying hens often look like they've gone from being fat to anorexic and then they are plump again the next day. My hens often come outside and fan their wings out and pant after laying an egg and then go back inside after a minute or two.

Thanks Dean, I haven't noticed any egg shell or yolk stains or anything like that. Also she hasn't gone from anorexic to plump, she just seems to stay plump with an egg bum. All my other hens come out of their boxes for a few minutes after laying like you mentioned. Internal layer is the other possibility.

 

I had the same issue with a hen of mine. Looking permanent egg-bum. It turned out it was a fatty tumor, that was removed. She survived and lived on for another year, before dying.

how long she been their now mate

how many weeks ???

was she paired up before you put her in or you chose partner ??

how long she been their now mate

how many weeks ???

was she paired up before you put her in or you chose partner ??

I chose her a mate and she's been in breeding cage approx 6-7 weeks.

Update: I have taken away the nest box and the clear egg (not hers).

Is there a possiblility of her being "fantasy" pregnant? I know cats and dogs can have it, also known as ghost pregnancy. They show all the signs, but their body doesn't actually produce young.

Is there a possiblility of her being "fantasy" pregnant? I know cats and dogs can have it, also known as ghost pregnancy. They show all the signs, but their body doesn't actually produce young.

Not sure. I might do some research.

rach stick to your thoughts on the internal layer

phantom pregnancy ?

 

id let her fly for while lack calcium could have her not forming shell and just pooing everything out

but fly her retry her if nothing

id say internal layer

rach stick to your thoughts on the internal layer

phantom pregnancy ?

 

id let her fly for while lack calcium could have her not forming shell and just pooing everything out

but fly her retry her if nothing

id say internal layer

Thanks GB. I will let her fly and try her again next year

Is there a possiblility of her being "fantasy" pregnant? I know cats and dogs can have it, also known as ghost pregnancy. They show all the signs, but their body doesn't actually produce young.

 

 

NO