# Eggbound Pigeon



## ante bozanich (Sep 19, 2006)

I've seen her struggle to lay an egg before but this is is the first time it got stuck. I've been giving her 0.3 ml liquid calcium twice a day, metacam and antibiotics for at least a couple of weeks now. I'm reluctant to take her to a vet. Last eggbound I dealt with died in a vet's office after the surgery, several more visits to two different vets before that, and more than $1000. A friend gave me this info: www.roller-pigeon.com/Roller_Pigeon_Feature_Article.html Has anyone out there tried something like this? Any other suggestion would be greatly appreciated.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would be reluctant to do #2 if #1 did not work, sometimes you just don't know what is going on, she could have a tumor in there. best of luck if you have to do #2.


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## 50FootQueenie (Feb 16, 2013)

*Egg bound wild dove*

I think because I'm sort of new to this list I may not be able to post my own thread (I can't seem to find a "New Thread" button) so I'm sorry for asking this here, but I have a similar question (I think??)--A lot of Mourning Doves live and nest near my building (I am near Central Park) and this morning, I noticed a female perched on my fire escape with a fully formed egg dangling from her abdomen; she was preening and trying to remove the egg herself, without success; these doves are wild birds, not pets I keep, and though I do put out bird seed and water for them often, I'm not able to touch them (and don't try); when I went to the window, the dove immediately flew away--is there anything I can do for this bird? I have a bird bath with water out on my fire escape that she could use, but I can't obviously use any kind of oil or my hands to help remove the egg if I can't get a hold of her (I actually know my nearest bird rehab center, and would gladly take her there, but again, she's able to fly away from me); Is there anything I could do to help prevent this from happening to another dove in the future? Could I put out a calcium source mixed with seed for them to eat? (would sterilized egg shells crushed and ground up be useful for that, or would I need to buy calcium tablets at a pharmacy and grind those up--would those made for humans be safe for birds?) Any advice would be helpful, and I'm so sorry to hear about the experience of the original poster with a loved pet bird; thanks so much for any help and advice!


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## Vet Technician (May 21, 2013)

I have performed several egg bound procedures. You need a vet office because the bird HAS to be under sedation so that the cloaca will relax. Once the bird is under we insert a lube and delicately manually manipulate the egg out. It is a very slow and steady process. If the egg breaks inside the bird it will most often end in death as it will go septic.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Vet Technician said:


> I have performed several egg bound procedures. You need a vet office because the bird HAS to be under sedation so that the cloaca will relax. Once the bird is under we insert a lube and delicately manually manipulate the egg out. It is a very slow and steady process. If the egg breaks inside the bird it will most often end in death as it will go septic.


I hope you decide to stick around, we need you around here.


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## Vet Technician (May 21, 2013)

Calcium supplements will only harden the shell which could make for a difficult lay. eggs are very supple as they are being laid and then harden. Supplements are not necessary in most cases unless a bird is malnourished, often you can unintentionally give a vitamin overdose.


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## Vet Technician (May 21, 2013)

Happy to help


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## ante bozanich (Sep 19, 2006)

Thanks Vet Technician! I was thinking the same thing about the calcium but decided "avian specialists" vets know more than I do so I followed their recommendation but what you're saying makes sense. Please, do you or someone else know a vet in NYC who treats birds and knows what they're doing?

50 FootQuinie I think what you've seen is something entirely different. I've seen pigeons with an egg attached to the feathers underneath. Egg sometimes crack; the liquid that comes out dries (they sit on it long time) and acts as glue or some other stuff binds the egg to the bird. If you can pull it off but my guess is it will fall off by itself eventually.


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## boneyrajan.k (Jul 15, 2010)

Calcium is needed for muscular contraction,thats why calcium is asked to given when the hen is egg bound ,not for the nutritional purpose.For nutritional purposes calcium should be made available every day 24-7 in the form of the grit.Now coming to the management :-
1.Give calcium to elicit strong muscular contractions.
2.Take a towel and dip it in warm water,then apply the towel against the vent...make sure the towel is just warm enough,but doesn't burn the skin.
3.Put oil in the vent and gently spread it all over the vent around the egg.
4.Take her to a Vet or experienced fancier.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

*


boneyrajan.k said:



Calcium is needed for muscular contraction,thats why calcium is asked to given when the hen is egg bound ,not for the nutritional purpose.For nutritional purposes calcium should be made available every day 24-7 in the form of the grit.

Click to expand...

*
Exactly! Calcium is very important, and for more than just the egg shell.
So putting out a calcium source could very well help. And yes, using clean broken up egg shells that have be microwaved for a few minutes is a good idea. You can also buy calcium chips, or ground oyster shell, and hi calcium grit that you could put out for them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Vet Technician said:


> I have performed several egg bound procedures. You need a vet office because the bird HAS to be under sedation so that the cloaca will relax. Once the bird is under we insert a lube and delicately manually manipulate the egg out. It is a very slow and steady process. If the egg breaks inside the bird it will most often end in death as it will go septic.



The way I read this post, it doesn't even sound like egg binding, as all seem to take it as. It sounded more like maybe the egg could have cracked or something, and got stuck to the birds belly. Egg bound, the egg would still be in the bird. Setting up the bath may help a lot. If indeed the egg did break, which we don't know, then that could very well mean that the bird does need more calcium. Sure doesn't hurt to put it out for them.


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Jay3 first post sounds like a eggbound pigeon one a little further down sounds like a egg that cracked and got stuck. Ante even says that a little further down that his is totally different from the post 50ftqueenie say about the bird flying around with a egg stuck to it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

tjc1 said:


> Jay3 first post sounds like a eggbound pigeon one a little further down sounds like a egg that cracked and got stuck. Ante even says that a little further down that his is totally different from the post 50ftqueenie say about the bird flying around with a egg stuck to it.



Thanks. You're right. 50ft Queenie, I'll send you directions on posting a new thread.


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## superflyer (Sep 13, 2008)

I give hens that have trouble laying hulled sesame. I have seen a hen do just fine after a broken egg came out.


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## superflyer (Sep 13, 2008)

There has been some dispute about this...some vet manuals claim metranidazole will terminate pregnancy, some say it only does this in mammals only but I have see an ill hen on metranidazole lay a very soft partially developed egg. The egg was like a water balloon.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

birds are not pregnant..their egg is. so not sure how an anti-bacteria and protozoa can make them lay a soft egg, unless it was helping with an infection and the hen felt better and had enough calcium for her muscles to push the soft egg out..allot of times they get stuck and that is what egg bound is, or the muscles can not contract enough for lack of calcium.


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## ante bozanich (Sep 19, 2006)

Unfortunately, the x-rays taken today show no egg. It seems to be some type of tumor.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

that is what happened with a fantail of mine..would of never know it unless for the xrAY..so sorry.


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