Egg Binding: What It Is and How to Prevent and Treat It

Egg binding occurs when a hen has been straining to lay an egg for several hours. A stuck egg prevents fecal matter and other eggs from passing out of the body, and the hen will eventually die from shock or infection.

There are several factors that may cause egg binding. Eggs form with the pointy end facing the vent opening, but they are laid blunt end first, which means the muscles in the hen’s body must rotate the egg before it is laid, and the egg can get stuck in this rotation process. Contributing factors include:

  • Poor nutrition
  • Dehydration
  • Obesity
  • Laying too early
  • Advanced age
  • Eggs that are too large
  • Oviduct infection or trauma
  • Not enough nest boxes

Symptoms

How can you tell is your hen is egg bound? You may find her sitting in the nest box (but don’t confuse egg binding with broodiness!). She also may have difficulty walking because a stuck egg puts pressure on the nerve that controls the leg. She also may be straining, standing like a penguin, or moving her tail up and down. As the condition progresses, her comb may become bluish in color, and she may move and interact less with others, prefer to be by herself, sit with their eyes closed, and eat and drink little.

Assessment

If you suspect that your hen is egg bound, it’s important to act quickly. If she does not pass the egg in 24­ to 48 hours, she will die from shock or infection. To figure out if she does have a stuck egg:

  1. Look for the egg in the vent. Sometimes it is visible, but not always.
  2. Gently palpate the abdomen to see if an egg is present. Place your hand on either side of the hen’s vent, thumb on one side, fingers on the other. Be very gentle: if you break the egg, it can cause infection inside her body.
  3. The ovary is high up in the body, close to the spine, and a developing egg moves downward toward the vent. If you feel something round and hard in the lower left abdomen, that is likely the gizzard.
  4. Isolate her to see if she is pooping. Often, egg-bound hens will not be able to pass brown fecal matter.

Treatment

To treat your hen at home,

  1. Place her in a calm, dim environment for about an hour. Keep the temperature at about 70–80°F. This alone may allow her to relax enough to pass the egg.
  2. Try applying moist heat. You can use a steamy bathroom, heated moist towels, or a 10-minute Epsom salts soak (water should come just above the hen's vent).
  3. Gently lubricate just the vent (in and around) with personal lubricating jelly (like KY Jelly). Again, be very gentle.
  4. Provide water with electrolytes to keep her hydrated and calcium concentrate in case she is calcium deficient.
  5. Try to turn or remove manually by manipulating the abdomen from outside—again, be very gentle.

If these measures do not work, or if your bird is bleeding, lethargic, breathing heavily, or has red tissue sticking out the vent, see an avian vet immediately.

Prevention

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How can you help your hens live their best life and stop egg binding before it happens?

  • Diet. A quality feed with balanced vitamins and minerals is critical for laying health. The single most important nutrient is a highly digestible source of calcium--which is provided by several of our feed products. A calcium supplement, such as oyster shell or limestone, should also be provided.

  • Water. Hens must always have a clean and fresh source of water. After all, a large percentage of their bodies and eggs is water! Hydration keeps muscles and body systems healthy, which reduces the risk of egg binding.

  • Light. Use normal lighting. A sudden increase in light can lead to large double-yolk eggs. It can also stimulate pullets to lay before they are mature.

  • Nest boxes. If there are not enough safe places to lay eggs, a hen may delay laying, leading to egg binding. Provide at least two nest boxes for two hens, then one for every four hens. (So a flock of six hens should have three nest boxes.)

  • Vent trauma. If you notice a hen whose vent is being pecked, isolate her so she can heal. Chickens are drawn to blood, so it’s important to gently clean an injured hen and put her in a hospital cage or other safe place.

 

Remember that prevention is the best way to manage any problem. You can minimize the chances of egg binding by using these simple steps and help your hens live their best lives. And if you need help selecting the best nutrition or supplies to care for your flock, our team is standing by ready to help!

 

NOTE: This post is adapted (with permission) from content proudly brought to you by our partners at Nutrena and Cargill Animal Nutrition. The original blog article appears here.


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