Egg binding
Egg binding is a life-threatening health problem for hens. It is the inability of the hen to successfully pass a malformed egg. There are a number of factors contributing to this condition; poorly conditioned hens, soft-shelled eggs, and over sized eggs being the main culprits. Over-breeding and insufficient diet are the primary causes. To avoid this, breeding pairs should be provided with a quality seed diet supplemented with egg-food, vitamins and calcium supplements and plenty of exercise prior to being set up as breeding pairs. Remember the more robust, muscular and healthy the hen is, the better the chance is for successful laying of eggs.
Successful breeding seasons don’t just happen. Successful breeders work at preparing for the breeding season year round. The foundation of a successful program is a solid, varied and balanced diet.
Most bird-keepers use a seed mix as the core of their feeding regime. That’s a good start, but unfortunately seed and grains are low in protein, minerals, and essential vitamins, particularly Vitamins D and K that are necessary for bone and beak development and metabolizing Calcium for egg development. A straight seed diet isn’t sufficient for long term health. We recommend that a good multiple-vitamin be used to supplement the basic seed diet.
To increase the chances for successful breeding season switch from a multiple vitamin to a Vitamin E supplement about two weeks prior to setting the pairs up. Begin adding a Calcium supplement at this time as well. Continue the Vitamin E until the first egg is laid, then revert back to the multiple vitamin.
There are a number of good commercially prepared seed mixes available. Also there are many "secret formulas" that breeders have developed themselves for use with their birds. Regardless of the source, these mixes all need vitamin and mineral supplementation.
Seed diets are also deficient in protein. Egg-foods are a great way to provide the protein that is needed for muscle and tissue growth and development as well as energy. We believe that egg-food should be offered year round in addition to the seed diet. During the off season it needs only to be offered two to four days per week. Prior to and during breeding season this schedule should be increased to daily offering. Continue offering the egg-food daily to the adults and the chicks until the chicks are fully fledged and on their own.
To further assure the health and well being of breeding pairs, dark leafy greens, fruits and vegetables should also be offered on a regular basis. Green and yellow vegetables are great sources of vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots,
mango, papaya, cucumber, brussel sprouts, romaine lettuce, endive, turnip greens, broccoli, and bananas are all beneficial additions to the diet (Please read the article "What vitamins do what" on the D.Y.K. Archives page of our web-site for more specific information.) Offer these items fresh, washed and uncooked.
Once your bird’s diet has been beefed up, the next step is to beef up the bird’s themselves. This is known as conditioning. Basically it is getting your birds to exercise.
At least a month prior to putting the male and female together move the hen into as large a flight cage as possible. Offer multiple perches of varying diameter. Space them a fair distance apart, and at a variety of heights. This will encourage the birds to fly more and subsequently strengthen themselves from the additional exercise. The stronger the bird is, the greater the chances are that they will be able to pass a difficult egg.
Despite all advance preparations sometimes things go awry and a hen becomes egg bound. An egg bound hen will be listless, puffed up and many times sit on the bottom of the cage. Panting and straining are further symptoms of a hen in distress. Her abdomen will be swollen and feel hard to the touch, and her vent may be swollen and inflamed. Immediate action is necessary because a severely egg-bound hen will not survive long.
The first step is to try to calm the bird down, and get her to relax. Raising the ambient temperature and humidity will help. Cover three sides and the top of the cage with a towel and place a forty watt light bulb near the uncovered side. A nursery room humidifier aimed at the open side raises humidity. In a pinch, a pan of steamy water placed under one of the covering towels will also raise humidity.
If this action hasn’t helped in an hour, a more drastic approach must be taken. Put a pan of water on to boil to create a steam stream. Grasp the bird gently in your hand and turn her over on her back. Place a drop or two of mineral oil directly in the vent. Now pass your hand trough the rising steam. Don’t keep her in the steam too long. You don’t want to par-boil her, just want to get her muscles to relax. Gently massage the sides of the swollen abdomen downward towards the vent. Don’t press hard. You don’t want the egg to break inside of the hen. The idea is to relax her muscles and help her concentrate on passing the egg.
This method doesn’t always work, but it has helped at times in the past. The best cure is preventative care; proper diet, supplements and conditioning well before breeding season.
