I came home about an hour ago and checked my big aviary and small avairy....

 

My hen (that has just finished 2 clutches and started laying again which I removed the eggs on the weekend and put her in the small aviary for a week or so with a few other hens).....was lying on the cold cement, I got her out straight away and put her in a small cage with a heat lamp, seed and water..... I have felt to see if she is eggbound and it doesn't seem like it, there has not been a fight that I can see, no blood on any birds.... she is not using her legs at all, breathing quite hard, she has eaten a small bit of seed and had some water.....I can't get to the vet now til Thursday I will call tomorrow for an appointment, what else should I do between now and then?

 

 

Can you crop feed ? If so I would crop feed her some calcivet with a few drops of warm water.

No I don't yet Kaz....but I tried her and she had a bit off the spoon....

 

On feeling her I now think I can feel an egg..?? What can I do??

Calcivet and warmth for now.

 

May I ask why you put her straight from a breeding cage and eggs into the aviary ? Best they rest up in a holding cage for a week or two before the rigors of the aviary, after breeding. I never put any straight out into the aviary from breeding.

 

If you end up at the vets...................make sure you ask to be taught to crop feed and get yourself a 14 guage crop needle.

Thanks Kaz.....

 

I put them in a smaller aviary (not a cage though) for a week or so after, I have my main aviary, but she was in a smaller aviary with 2 other hens that have finished breeding for now as well.... should I put them in a seperate smaller cage??

 

okay..the calcivet and heat lamp til Thursday or tomorrow afternoon with any luck.....and yes I will ask about the crop feeding, it's been on the agenda for a while but I left it too long I guess.....fingers crossed I do end up at the vets....

She has passed the egg...but still no use of her legs......just going to call the Vet now and see if I can get in earlier....

She has passed the egg...but still no use of her legs......just going to call the Vet now and see if I can get in earlier....

Good news about passing the egg.

Other body structures are also affected by the lack of calcium. Calcium is necessary for normal muscle contraction; without it, the hen may exhibit seizures and sometimes partial paralysis. Many old-time canary breeders familiar with this condition often use the term "cage paralysis," to describe this type of calcium deficiency. The egg-bound hen is often found huddled in a corner on the cage bottom. She'll often have a larger-than-normal thin or soft-shelled egg in the distal portion of her reproductive tract. The lack of calcium lead to the development of the soft-shelled egg and the inability to properly contract and expel the egg. The bird is now in a lifethreatening situation. Fortunately, many birds can be saved with the help of a well-qualified avian veterinarian. Many of these birds will require radiographs or x-rays to help the veterinarian make a diagnosis of egg binding. Hospitalization, along with injections of oxytocin, calcium and vitamin D, are all necessary to help expel the egg and correct the calcium imbalance. In some instances where medical treatment is ineffective, the egg may require removal through surgical or manual manipulation. Once the bird has been stabilized and the egg expelled, dietary and nutritional changes are made to prevent egg binding from reoccurring. So now that we know that excessive egg laying can lead to egg binding, how do we control excessive egg laying so egg binding won't occur? The first thing is to decrease the amount of light to which the bird is exposed. By decreasing the amount of light exposure, we may be able to trick the bird's internal hormonal mechanism into believing that breeding season is ending. This should be done gradually over the course of a few weeks.

 

http://www3.sympatico.ca/davehansen/eggbind.html

Just got back from the Vet, I got an appointment with Terry Martin and he was really good, wow.....there is a big difference between an avian vet and a normal vet (any vets reading this I am saying this with the utmost respect to you all).....at last I know how to crop feed!!

 

His diagnosis was.....either nerve damage, or calcium definincy......

 

There are no more eggs that he can feel , she has good grip with her legs and no fractures...... If it's nerve damage she is in no pain and it can correct itself with time, if it's calcium definincy she is not using her legs due to weakness...

 

I crop fed her in the surgery "calcium sandoz" and I need to crop feed this again on Sunday, she is eating and is quite bright so I don't need to crop feed at this stage, once she gets her strength back she should start perching.

 

We dicussed the importance of calcium with breeding birds and I feel like I have learned lots.....

 

I feel really bad that my birds are going through this due to my lack of experience and knowledge but looking on the flipside I now know the importance of it and how to supplement the diet with certain foods and use supplements before breeding, and crop feeding, I was so excited to learn this procedure.....

 

Once again I have learned the hard way, but I feel a lot more confident now due to my experience.

 

I will phone the vet if there is no marked improvement by Monday, I will keep you posted for those that are interested....

 

Thank you Kaz, you knew what was wrong and advised the calcivet prior to seeing the vet, I really think that is the issue due to the bad leg issues I've had with my chicks this year......thanks for caring and giving good advice as allways...

Pleased the out come is bright and hope your hen makes a full recovery.

Thank you Splat........me too....

Good news

Good news about your hen Anne. I know too much calcium can be bad but how much should we be giving our breeding birds? Mine get calcivet twice a week in their water and they have cuttle bone, which I only ever see the cocks eating.

No improvement....

She is perching !!!!

fantastic

its also nice to see you have solved your chick leg issue along with this hen

 

great job and fantastic you did take her to be investigated by vet

My best hen I bred last year was found in the aviary also suffering what appeared to be a dislocated leg or broken leg at the hip...not fixable.

 

Since she was looking reasonable I deferred euthenasia. I then began to think she may have had that partial paralysis that hens can get with low calcium and egglaying. I had found some stray eggs in the aviary too. So I was crop feeding her once a day with additional calcivet, warmth in a hospital cage etc and conferring with my avian vet by phone as he was unavailable for an appointment.

This was days ago. She has just now found her way onto the perch and her foot is trying to grip.

 

So, seems the same affliction as yours.

 

Here she is standing on her right leg...the one that was paralysed. ( she has been perching as well )

Edited September 4, 201014 yr by KAZ

This is really good news for both of you

Thanks Anne, info like this is very interesting and extremely helpful to the rest of us!

Just got back from the Vet, I got an appointment with Terry Martin and he was really good, wow.....there is a big difference between an avian vet and a normal vet (any vets reading this I am saying this with the utmost respect to you all).....at last I know how to crop feed!!

 

His diagnosis was.....either nerve damage, or calcium definincy......

 

There are no more eggs that he can feel , she has good grip with her legs and no fractures...... If it's nerve damage she is in no pain and it can correct itself with time, if it's calcium definincy she is not using her legs due to weakness...

 

I crop fed her in the surgery "calcium sandoz" and I need to crop feed this again on Sunday, she is eating and is quite bright so I don't need to crop feed at this stage, once she gets her strength back she should start perching.

 

We dicussed the importance of calcium with breeding birds and I feel like I have learned lots.....

 

I feel really bad that my birds are going through this due to my lack of experience and knowledge but looking on the flipside I now know the importance of it and how to supplement the diet with certain foods and use supplements before breeding, and crop feeding, I was so excited to learn this procedure.....

 

Once again I have learned the hard way, but I feel a lot more confident now due to my experience.

 

I will phone the vet if there is no marked improvement by Monday, I will keep you posted for those that are interested....

 

Thank you Kaz, you knew what was wrong and advised the calcivet prior to seeing the vet, I really think that is the issue due to the bad leg issues I've had with my chicks this year......thanks for caring and giving good advice as allways...

 

Well, you couldn't have picked a better vet. Terry Martin is not only a good animal vet but he is a bird breeder as is his brother. He is one of the best avian vets I have met. He is a good bloke too.

My best hen I bred last year was found in the aviary also suffering what appeared to be a dislocated leg or broken leg at the hip...not fixable.

 

Since she was looking reasonable I deferred euthenasia. I then began to think she may have had that partial paralysis that hens can get with low calcium and egglaying. I had found some stray eggs in the aviary too. So I was crop feeding her once a day with additional calcivet, warmth in a hospital cage etc and conferring with my avian vet by phone as he was unavailable for an appointment.

This was days ago. She has just now found her way onto the perch and her foot is trying to grip.

 

So, seems the same affliction as yours.

 

Here she is standing on her right leg...the one that was paralysed. ( she has been perching as well )

 

 

That fantastic news Kaz....I'm really pleased she is improving.... :nest:

Weird how we both had hens at the same time with the same issue and they are both getting better :nest:

A picture of my girl tonight....she is perching more each day!!!!

 

 

 

Hopefully Kaz it's a good omen!!!

 

Thanks Dave and Nubbly, I know I have learned heaps from this.

 

Rip, he is a very nice gentle man.....I had an appointment the following day with another avian vet but he squeezed me in earlier which I was very greatful for, I will see him again for sure :nest:

Edited September 4, 201014 yr by KAZ

How is your girl this morning Kaz?? My girl is going well....

 

I chickened out with the crop needle :nest: , I just think I'm going to do it wrong and hurt her.

 

She is drinking the meds in the water so I know she is getting some, I might be braver later, I will let you know...

How is your girl this morning Kaz?? My girl is going well....

 

I chickened out with the crop needle :nest: , I just think I'm going to do it wrong and hurt her.

 

She is drinking the meds in the water so I know she is getting some, I might be braver later, I will let you know...

 

I will check her shortly. Its 7:30 am and I havent gone done to the birdroom yet.