[pink-chicken]

Please can anyone advise? I have just been in to check the girls and Cowslip is sitting alone in her dustbath/shelter looking very sad and fluffed up. She hasn't laid today, not unusual as some days they don't now that they are all getting on.. but when I picked her up what looked like egg yolk came out of her vent. Is it possible that an egg has broken inside her? Her eggs have been a little 'thin shelled' lately. If so what can I do to help her? She's not too hot under her wings but just looks poorly.

Thank you, Jan.

[joyfull]

does it look like it has all come out?

[pink-chicken]

Hello Joyfull :-) I can't be absolutely sure as I've only just noticed the small amount of 'yolk' Her 'vent' seems to be 'pulsing' as if trying to push though?
Jan.

[pink-chicken]

Should I feel inside her to check? I don't want to do the wrong thing and hurt her 

[joyfull]

pop her into a sink with warm water and leaver her in that for at least 30 mins, this will allow her muscles to relax and pass the egg. Then dry her off with a hair dryer on a warm not hot heat setting. Keep a close eye on her as she may need antibiotics to prevent infections.

[pink-chicken]

Thank you Joyfull  I will do that and take her to the vets Monday to be on the safe side. So far I've bathed her bottom with warm water as too frightened to feel around inside her. I will sit her in warm water and keep her warm after drying her. Whether it's psychological or she is recovering I'm not sure but she does look more comfy now so fingers crossed. Jan.

[bantam novice]

Good luck Pink Chicken and keep us posted 

[pink-chicken]

Thank you Bantam  and will do, Jan.

[pink-chicken]

Fingers crossed... a happy update 
After making Cowslip comfy yesterday evening she settled for the night on a branch outside her coop.  Knowing that she would get no peace crated inside our house (we have two young Jack Russells who go off like rockets at the slightest sound) I lifted her on to a perch inside the coop for the night. When I opened the girls up this morning there was a broken egg, shell and contents, underneath her on her night paper. She's looking so much better and eating/drinking. I'll take her to the vets tomorrow just in case she needs a course of Baytril or similar. Maybe he can give her something to stop her laying and prevent this from happening again.

Jan. 

[joyfull]

there is an implant that can stop hens laying - you or your vet may need to get in touch with the BHWT for the details though.

[CattinJ]

This happens to my ex batts quite regularly.  I'm sure now she's passed the egg she will be absolutely fine.  Once when this happened however, the hen in question carried on looking very miserable so we took her to the vets and had to give a course of injections for a few days, but normally we don't have to.  Just keep an eye on her....

[pink-chicken]

Thank you Joyfull and CattinJ,
It's re-assuring to know that the vet can prescribe something if it becomes an on-going problem for her but also good to know that it's not as serious as I first imagined. I did panic because she looked so poorly. So relieved to know that it's not a 'life or death' situation for her and that she will be fine. I will definitely keep an eye on her from now on though... It's amazing how hardy the girls are. I'm sure that the other three knew that something was amiss as they were all very restless on Saturday, all wandering around aimlessly, making a really 'bad tempered' whining noise... a bit like a grizzly teething baby.
Jan.