Egg bound advice please

[worthysmum]

Yesterday one of my new mulberry blue bantams was egg bound. She walked about all day looking very droopy. She was straining nearly all day and her vent was very red and looked swollen. I put her under a heat lamp, syringed a litle olive oil in and around her vent, I could see the egg bulging, I also gave her a warm mash with omega 3 oil on and some water. I kept checking her and at ten oclock she was still the same, it looked really painful. This morning to my utter relief there was the egg in the cage with her. I had to bathe her rear end as it was really messy, but apart from that and some very watery almost clear droppings she seems ok. Back with the others, eating and foraging. I am worried that this may happen when she next lays, is it likely. The egg was not deformed, nor large so I dont know why she had trouble. Will she have to lay today or will she take a rest, as Im pretty sure she must be very tender in her nether regions. Sorry for all the questions, but also is it ok to eat her egg that was stuck or shall I bin it.

 

[foxy]

Oh dear, poor thing. You can't do that much really, just ensure no treats for the time being, and she has access to good quality oyster shell. It does take a little while for calcium to be taken up by the blood and then transported back to the egg, but it would be a good idea just to keep an eye on her diet. A good idea if she gets stuck again, is to sink her into warm water for about 20mins, to help her lay then leave in a quiet place so she can relax. Also check she is not being bullied from the nest box, this can cause stress to a new layer and lead to egg laying problems. Good luck with her!

 

[Marigold]

Hi Worthysmum, sorry to hear you've got yet more problems! I expect we are talking about he little mulberry bantam you told us about in your post a few days ago, here http://poultrykeeperforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=8153 who had survived a fox attack and then was rehomed the same day with you. So she is most probably suffering from a lot of delayed shock, which as Foxy says can contribute to egglaying problems. It's pretty marvellous that she's laying at all, with all she went through, because just moving home under normal quiet circumstances, and having new routines and other birds around, is hugely traumatic for chickens at the best of times, and often results in interrupted laying patterns. Looks as if she is another of your rescue cases!
I would hope that, if you do as Foxy suggests and give her as quiet and peaceful a life as possible, whilst keeping a careful eye for any more egg binding problems, she should settle down in a week or two. You obviously knew the right things to do to help her, without risking breaking the egg. Another chapter for your developing book on keeping chickens must be nearly written by now, I should imagine!
I don't think there will be anything wrong with the egg, I would just cook it if it were mine, but if you don't fancy it, just mix it up and microwave it and give it to the chickens as a treat (but not to the eggbound one, no treats for her as she needs a low protein diet for a while to discourage laying if possible.)

 

[worthysmum]

Thanks for your help, unfortunately the others do pick on her a bit. I have added another nest box today to hopefully give her more choice away from the others. She seems fine today enjoying the sunshine and they actually let her dust bath with them, so fingers crossed they wont be so mean to her

 

[worthysmum]

She laid a beautiful blue egg this morning with no problems
I was so pleased I took a picture


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I am surprised at the size compared to the one that caused her so much trouble! this one is big for a bantam, another pic next to one of my other bantam egg,


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