Eggbound???

We have a hen that for sometime now seems slightly unwell. Not so much unwell but very lethargic. It is surprisingly heavy and just flops down every so often. She eats and drinks fine and doesn't seem to have any other problems. She has a bright red comb and I'm sure she potentially should be laying now although I'm not exactly sure how old she is. What should I be looking for if she is eggbound? I've been given snippets of advice and this is why I believe this could be the problem.

If she's eggbound, you shouls be able to feel the egg as a hard lump through her abdomen. Somewhere beteen her breast and vent.

If you think you can feel something or still suspect, you can make an internal examination by lubing a finger and sliding into her vent to feel the egg. Never done it, but read about it several times.

If she's very heavy, it may be that she's overweight which could stop her laying eggs. If you feed her lots of treats, including corn, she could pile on the pounds and become lethargic.

Rob

Good luck with it. Report back with any further info and someone will be able to advise.

Rob