# Sick Hen - help!



## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

We have a small flock with 2 barred rocks
and two leghorns. My BR are four years old and still lay every other day or so. My leghorns lay nearly daily. 
I've noticed, however, that I've been getting more BR eggs and less LH eggs, which is unusual. I've noticed over the past few days one of my LH not coming to get scraps with the rest of the flock. Also, she's lying around in flower beds in the oddest positions...kind of flopped out on the ground. 
I just noticed today, that she is dragging her tail and has an odd Quasimodo-type gait. 
My Google research tells me she could have an egg stuck (internal laying). 
She had some poo stuck to her bedraggled tail feathers so I soaked her behind in warm water and massaged her hind end (yup, chicken butt-massaging was a first for this backyard farmer). I didn't feel an egg. I also felt her crop and it felt fine to me - no lump. 
Any suggestions for what to do? I'm guessing she's not eating/drinking as much. I don't stake out the coop like some on this forum seem to...seriously, where do you get the time?? I can't describe her eating, drinking, pooping, roosting, laying habits...that would take days of observation! 
Any help or suggestions for what to do for this hen would be helpful. 
I'm not opposed to culling. We've had to do that with several. I just don't want to cull a good layer, but I don't want her to suffer either.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Quasimodo type gait is a good one lol. She's probably eggbound and I recommend continuing the warm water soaks and massages. She should be put in a container of warm water up to her sides, soak for about 20 minutes while massaging her underside front to rear. The warm water will relax and expand her innards allowing the egg to move more freely and massaging encourages her to move it along. You dont massage her butt. Use a disposable glove and put olive oil just inside her vent. It will help the stuck egg slide out easier.
I've owned Leghorns and it seems common for them to get eggbound more often than not. I've had a few of them lay 2 eggs in one day when they were young. They are egg laying machines for sure.
However I've had to cull them sooner than other breeds as they burn out quickly right around the 2 to 2.5 year of age.
That said, my favs ARE Barred Rocks for the same reasons as you; steady layers over the long haul, live long, and can handle temperature extremes.
As far as staking out the coop goes lol...I cant speak for the other folks here, but I'm retired. I dont stake out the coop as I have plenty of other things to do besides babysitting chickens. Believe me, retirement isnt cracked up as what you'd expect. It seems there's always something popping up that needs to be taken care of like doctors appointments, grocery shopping or something stupid...or there's work to be done around the house or yard, it never ends. But, I take one day at a time lol.
Years of experiences with chickens; you can simply look at flock and "see" if there's a problem, then deal with it however you see fit and it sounds like you're on your way experiencing it firsthand. The key to a healthy flock is biosecurity which has many forms.

I'm sure others here will post with some ideas as well. Let us know the outcome with your Leghorn and good luck.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Once a day in the afternoon I give my flock their treat and sit outside with them for a while. Could be 10 minutes or an hour. But it's a good way to check and make sure they are all looked at. I would do what Dawg says. It does sound like an impacted egg. Aside from that, if it's not , chances are good it's a female problem that can't be fixed.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

I do not own chickens yet, therefore I have no advice nor knowledge, but I just want to know how your hen is doing.


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## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

Thank you for the advice!
I tried the warm water bath. Had to enlist my 8 year old to hold while I massaged her tummy. She didn't seem too distressed about the bath, so that was good. I had a handful of live mealworms, which she ate with gusto. She also came when I threw scraps to the flock. She mostly lies around various spots in the yard. 
No egg yet. 
I'll keep doing the baths each day. 
How long can they live with an impacted egg as long as they are still eating and drinking?


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## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

Update: 
Still no egg. She's eating and drinking, but hesitant around the other hens. I noticed an open area on her comb and I think it's where she's gotten pecked. I haven't observed aggression from the others, or I will have to isolate her. 

I've continued the warm water soaks and massage. I squirted a syringe of olive oil in her vent. Nothing. 
Everything I've read/seen online has been people being able to feel the stuck egg in the abdomen/hind end. I feel nothing. It's all soft and squishy. I'm beginning to lose hope that I can help her.


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## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)




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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

What a nice picture!!! You're a good chicken mom. I don't know what to say but if her abdomen is enlarged, jiggly or hard, I would say internal laying or ascites. Could be a trip to the vet or sometimes we just never know what's wrong.

If your chickens in general have slowed in laying it's probably laying. They are not "spring chickens" anymore.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Is her belly by her vent big,soft and squishy?It might be water belly and there's not much that can be done.I let my hens go as long as they don't seem to be in any distress.When walking becomes too difficult,I cull them.


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## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

It is just soft and squishy. No firmness. She seems to have perked up a little over the past few days. She's walking a little better and not dragging her tail when she walks. When she stops to peck, though, she still sets her tail and hide end down on the ground. I'm having a hard time deciding to cull her, as she's still eating and drinking. Her gait and tail posture is still off but improving. No egg laying. That is, after all, why we have them


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I let mine go as long as there is no distress.Eventually they won't move much and lay long for long time.Then I cull do sick chickens.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Yea, me too. Starvation is a big thing with me. I hate to see them sit there and starve.


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## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

Update: still not laying, but posture much improved. Tail doesn't drag, but still not up and erect like it should be. She doesn't seem to be in any pain and keeps up with the flock during the day as they peck around the yard. She's put in several years of good service, so I'll let her hang out and enjoy the nice summer weather. If still no laying, we will likely cull her by fall.


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## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

Update: we let her go for 3- 4 months or so with some improvement. Her gait was still wide and 'waddly'. No laying. She was persistently aggressive with our three new chicks we were attempting to integrate once they were of size, so we opted to cull her. Hated to do it, but no laying for that long was the biggest indicator of her health. Thanks for all of the advice!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Sorry it came to that!


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