My hen is sick: puffed up, not eating. Is she egg-bound or ill?

If you feel something round inside Duno's vent, it is possible that she is egg bound and unable to pass the egg. Egg binding is life threatening, and requires veterinary attention immediately, as the hen will die without treatment. I would find a vet to bring Duno into right away.

Soak her in a warm Epsom salt bath for about 30 minutes. The water should be deep enough to fully submerge her vent. Afterwards, dab a bit of olive oil or vegetable oil around her vent. this may help her pass the egg. if she still cannot pass it, she will need to be seen by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating domestic fowl.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like your hen is very sick and needs to see a veterinarian as soon as possible. This may be due to a gastrointestinal issue or infection for example, among many other possibilities. I highly recommend you consider having her evaluated as soon as possible so that therapy can be started right away. Best of luck!

Hello. It is very common to see reproductive disease in chickens including salpingitis & egg yolk peritonitis. If you could bring her indoors where it is a bit cooler, feed her nutritious foods such as cornbread, cooked eggs, even a bit ( not much ) of canned cat food & see if she perks up. Many of these birds are actually in quite a bit of pain, so if there is any way to have her seen by a vet, this would be best. X-rays are often taken in these cases to evaluate the internal organs or see if she is actually egg bound. There is a lot we know about chickens, but sometimes not much we can do to save them. Hope you can have her evaluated soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for reaching out about Luna. Not eating is the main concern, as even if hormonal, should be eating. The weight gain could be fecal/urine retention, or water weight since not eating. If egg bound is worrisome, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Try offering food by hand. Provide heat support in the 80-85 F range for aid. Good luck.

Most birds will lay one egg every other day. The condition is more common in smaller breeds, and can be more serious as well. Ideally, she should be examined by a veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian. If one is unavailable right now, provide supplemental heat, about 90 F. Soak her for 20-30 minutes in a warm Epsom salt solution, enough to submerge her vent. Dry thoroughly then use a sterile lubricant (or vegetable oil) around the vent. Monitor for lethargy, straining or difficulty breathing. If she develops any of these symptoms, she should be seen at the nearest veterinary ER immediately. Be sure to feed a balanced diet and provide a cuttlebone or mineral block for additional calcium. Limit seeds and offer mainly a commercial pelleted diet (Harrison's, Lafeber, KayTee Exact or Pretty Bird) supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables.

This sounds like Petunia may be ill or suffering from a nutrition deficiency if she wasn't fed a balanced diet for chickens or allowed to forage to supplement her feeding. I would seek out veterinary care right away if home treatments have not helped and she is worsening.