Post by egh on Mar 17, 2008 8:31:01 GMT -6
Egg Binding
Egg Binding can be a very serous problem in any bird, even at times ending in death of the bird. Egg binding is most likely a problem in birds that are kept confined, birds that are free range do not suffer from egg binding. There are several things that can lead to egg binding. Some cases can be so severe that the only possibele solution is surgery. Leading to a complete hysterectomy that would require the assistance of a Veterinarian.
There are several causes that can contribute to egg binding, lack of exercise, lack of sunshine, birds getting to fat from eating incorrect diet, often caused by a lack of some thing to do, lack of protein which often causes a bird to eat more seed to compensate, which in turn raises the carbohydrate intake, not enough food and birds being sick or to old.
If any way possible the first step would be to get an X - ray of the birds abdomen. This will tell you for sure if your bird is egg bound or some other problem. Swollen and distended abdomens can be symptoms of other more serious disorders. If the X - ray shows a formed and calcified egg then you have an egg binding problem. If the X - ray does not show a egg then you could be dealing with a shell less egg and that can get complicated. You could be dealing with an abdomen that is filled with fluid, and this would be a completely different problem than egg binding.
A fluid filled abdomen can be a sign of peritonitis. Weather caused by egg material never passed or not passed it is a good idea to put the hen on a good broad spectrum antibiotic, such as Baytril. If the condition does not improve through the course of treatment, then a local vet should be consulted for possible fluid removal and to determine the next course of auction.
If you are for sure that the hen is egg bound then you can follow a conservative and simple medical and supportive approach. Begin by making sure the hen has adequate protein, calcium, selenium, and vitamins A and E. Dietary insufficiencies can be a cause of egg binding. A preventive course of antibiotics is good but make sure that you add a probiotic during and after treatment.
Make sure the hen has plenty of fresh water, and lubricate the vent. Use a water based lubricant such as K-Y Jelly. It should be applied at regular intervals. Attempt to get some just inside the vent, but be cautious not to cause a tear in delicate tissues. If you can see the egg through the vent, lubricate it too. You can also attach a heat softened piece of small tubing to a syringe and inject 3cc of warmed K-Y Jelly or warm soapy water mixed with sterile water through the tube up past and around the egg.
If the hen does not pass the egg and you don't think that she is going to on her own, then you can manually remove the egg. This method only applies if she is still bright and not in shock. Examine the abdomen to find the location of the egg and gently move it in an effort to move it along. Be very careful. If manual removal fails and you can see the tip of the egg another option is aspiration or implosion.
Get someone to help hold the hen very securely. It will be better if you can hold her upside down. Using a syringe and a large needle draw the contents of the egg into the syringe. After aspiration of the contents of the egg, gently collapse the egg all around. Be very careful when doing this so that the inner membrane of the egg stays in tact, which will keep the eggshell pieces together. Then gently remove the egg. Go slow and try to keep the egg shell together. If all fragments do not come out they should pass along with the remaining egg contents with in the next several days.
Lettuce and other greens are very helpful in preventing egg binding. Lettuce mainly tones the blood and reduces uric acid build up in vital parts of the body. When feeding lettuce make sure it is organically grown and eaten by the bird while it is still fresh, only give them enough so that the bird will eat it all in al least 5 minutes so none will be left to go stale. The birds should also be given other greens to replace the items that they would get if they were let free range.
info provided by Cupples Farm
www.cupplesfarm.com/eggbinding.html
friday morning when i went down to feed and water i noticed one of my new pullets was egg bound, i had to run over to my neighbors house and get a pair of surgical gloves and go to work, he came over a gave me a helping hand and between the two of us we were able to remove what looked like a complete broken egg shell from her vent, at least i hope we did....if she does`nt get peritonitis from any egg shell that we might have missed, i think she will make it.
its now monday morning and she is now up and around acting normal. in all my years around poultry this was a first for me and i hope i don`t have to do that again. yf egh
Egg Binding can be a very serous problem in any bird, even at times ending in death of the bird. Egg binding is most likely a problem in birds that are kept confined, birds that are free range do not suffer from egg binding. There are several things that can lead to egg binding. Some cases can be so severe that the only possibele solution is surgery. Leading to a complete hysterectomy that would require the assistance of a Veterinarian.
There are several causes that can contribute to egg binding, lack of exercise, lack of sunshine, birds getting to fat from eating incorrect diet, often caused by a lack of some thing to do, lack of protein which often causes a bird to eat more seed to compensate, which in turn raises the carbohydrate intake, not enough food and birds being sick or to old.
If any way possible the first step would be to get an X - ray of the birds abdomen. This will tell you for sure if your bird is egg bound or some other problem. Swollen and distended abdomens can be symptoms of other more serious disorders. If the X - ray shows a formed and calcified egg then you have an egg binding problem. If the X - ray does not show a egg then you could be dealing with a shell less egg and that can get complicated. You could be dealing with an abdomen that is filled with fluid, and this would be a completely different problem than egg binding.
A fluid filled abdomen can be a sign of peritonitis. Weather caused by egg material never passed or not passed it is a good idea to put the hen on a good broad spectrum antibiotic, such as Baytril. If the condition does not improve through the course of treatment, then a local vet should be consulted for possible fluid removal and to determine the next course of auction.
If you are for sure that the hen is egg bound then you can follow a conservative and simple medical and supportive approach. Begin by making sure the hen has adequate protein, calcium, selenium, and vitamins A and E. Dietary insufficiencies can be a cause of egg binding. A preventive course of antibiotics is good but make sure that you add a probiotic during and after treatment.
Make sure the hen has plenty of fresh water, and lubricate the vent. Use a water based lubricant such as K-Y Jelly. It should be applied at regular intervals. Attempt to get some just inside the vent, but be cautious not to cause a tear in delicate tissues. If you can see the egg through the vent, lubricate it too. You can also attach a heat softened piece of small tubing to a syringe and inject 3cc of warmed K-Y Jelly or warm soapy water mixed with sterile water through the tube up past and around the egg.
If the hen does not pass the egg and you don't think that she is going to on her own, then you can manually remove the egg. This method only applies if she is still bright and not in shock. Examine the abdomen to find the location of the egg and gently move it in an effort to move it along. Be very careful. If manual removal fails and you can see the tip of the egg another option is aspiration or implosion.
Get someone to help hold the hen very securely. It will be better if you can hold her upside down. Using a syringe and a large needle draw the contents of the egg into the syringe. After aspiration of the contents of the egg, gently collapse the egg all around. Be very careful when doing this so that the inner membrane of the egg stays in tact, which will keep the eggshell pieces together. Then gently remove the egg. Go slow and try to keep the egg shell together. If all fragments do not come out they should pass along with the remaining egg contents with in the next several days.
Lettuce and other greens are very helpful in preventing egg binding. Lettuce mainly tones the blood and reduces uric acid build up in vital parts of the body. When feeding lettuce make sure it is organically grown and eaten by the bird while it is still fresh, only give them enough so that the bird will eat it all in al least 5 minutes so none will be left to go stale. The birds should also be given other greens to replace the items that they would get if they were let free range.
info provided by Cupples Farm
www.cupplesfarm.com/eggbinding.html
friday morning when i went down to feed and water i noticed one of my new pullets was egg bound, i had to run over to my neighbors house and get a pair of surgical gloves and go to work, he came over a gave me a helping hand and between the two of us we were able to remove what looked like a complete broken egg shell from her vent, at least i hope we did....if she does`nt get peritonitis from any egg shell that we might have missed, i think she will make it.
its now monday morning and she is now up and around acting normal. in all my years around poultry this was a first for me and i hope i don`t have to do that again. yf egh
"...we're all mad here..." ~ Cheshire Cat