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Written by James Young
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Saturday, 25 October 2008 12:16 |
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Sometimes poultry can become egg bound when a large egg ‘gets stuck' in the oviduct. The bird will usually keep visiting the nest box without being able to lay the egg and will keep straining. If the abdomen of the bird is felt, the egg can often be felt.
Causes
A particularly large egg is often the cause of a bird becoming egg bound.
Treatment
One way or another, the egg needs to come out. Cleanliness is very important so that you do not get bacteria into the oviduct so ensure your hands are washed before you start, First, the vent should be examined, and with a clean finger, try to establish that there is an egg. Olive oil can be applied to the vent, then the abdomen can be pushed gently and the egg might come out without too much of a problem. Another technique I have used with a bird that was brought in to me once was by using a bowl of steaming water. Be careful not to scald the bird. Place an old towel over the rear of the bird and let the steam build up underneath.
If you cannot get the egg out in this way, then you will need to break it in order to remove it. Do this by making a small hole in the end of the egg, then drain the egg. The egg shell can then be broken carefully and removed.
After treatment.
The bird should be housed somewhere quiet, away from other birds. It is likely that there will have been muscle damage to the oviduct which may never recover fully, or cause prolaps (correctly called prolapsus) where part of the oviduct ‘hangs out' and needs to be tucked back in again.
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Last Updated on Sunday, 10 January 2010 13:48 |
Common To All Poultry