# Post Egg Paralysis



## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

"Sweety" is one of my favorites!! She always waits and greets me at the loft door when its time to feed. Well last evening when I went out to feed, she was waiting just inside the door - laying down! There was a freshly laid egg on the ground about 2 feet from her. I picked her up and checked her over. Good weight, not puffed up, but looked a little "tired". 
I set her down in the corner for a minute to feed everybody real quick. She tried to follow me to the food dish - using her wings as legs.
She recently finished sitting on wooden eggs, so it is about time for new eggs for her. And I am assuming that was her egg. Her mate was circling around her and nudging her to get up.
She's inside on heat. Gave her water with salt and sugar - she drank a little. Gave her fresh calcium/grit - she pecked at it a little.
Hasn't touched her food.
Alert but not moving around - can't use her legs.
I'm going over to the health food store and pet store as soon as they open, but for the time being all I have is TUMS (500 mg calcium carbonate tablets). I broke it into small pieces - approximately 50 mg size. Just want to make sure its OK to give to her?


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## whitesnmore (Sep 9, 2004)

Did you check her vent to see if it is "open" or spread apart to indicate a recently laid egg of a soon to be laid egg? I'm not familiar with the TUMS use for pigeons but am interested in the indicated uses for pigeons. Does it have an ingredient they need for something specific? 
I had a hen do this when she was egg bound and I put veg, oil in and around the vent and then held her in a warm pan of water for about 5 minutes and she passed the egg. You could try the warm water bath to see if it helps. Hope the bird is better.
Ken


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

whitesnmore said:


> Did you check her vent to see if it is "open" or spread apart to indicate a recently laid egg of a soon to be laid egg? I'm not familiar with the TUMS use for pigeons but am interested in the indicated uses for pigeons. Does it have an ingredient they need for something specific?
> I had a hen do this when she was egg bound and I put veg, oil in and around the vent and then held her in a warm pan of water for about 5 minutes and she passed the egg. You could try the warm water bath to see if it helps. Hope the bird is better.
> Ken


Her vent seems a little larger than normal. When I leaned her over to check - she let go a "MEGA POOP"!!  Looked like the type of poop they have when sitting on eggs. - 1st one since I brought her in last night. 
The egg, that I suspect is hers, is HUGE.
She did eat this morning, picked out her favorites - mostly safflower seed.
TUMS are 100% calcium carbonate (500mg per tablet)
Went over to the pet store to get some more oyster shell (I ran out), and they weren't open yet - have to go back 
She's alert and strong and growling at me. And preening herself.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Poor girl! Hopefully it'll pass soon. That heat should really help loosen her muscles back up. Eggs look painful enough when they're normal size, so I'd hate to be her if she laid a huge one!


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Brewers yeast tabs and wheet germ oil are also helpful in these situations.


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*exausted*

I have been told that some hens when laying larger then normal eggs will make the bones in there legs very weak from lack of calcium and make it hard for the hen to want to move around. This man had a hen that he had no choice but to keep in the house, on top of that she was born blind, every time she laid he would have to care for her by bringing food and water so she could reach. She is now 7 years old and still in loving hands. >Kevin


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Pattersonk, I feel sorry for that poor hen too! Born blind AND troubles laying. It's good that she's in a loving home though 

It is true that a lot of these situations are caused by lack of calcium and exhaustion, but PEP is also caused by the nerves being pinched. The nerves that control the legs are right there where the repro system is, so it's pretty common for the hen to have issues walking right after laying. Of course calcium helps keep everything working properly, especially those nerves and muscles, so having extra around is good no matter which caused it. Vitamin D is important too, since it helps absorb the calcium into the body.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Waynette...one of the probems with this time of the year is that the hens don't get enough vitamin D to process the calcium. The must have vitiamin D which they get from the sun and we all know that in northern states there isn't much of that right now.

Sounds like you also need to add more nest boxes since she laid the egg on the floor. I think it's stressful when they don't have a safe place to lay. I don't think there can ever be too many nest boxes.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

The loft is located in a sunny spot. The flight cage gets sun all day from 3 directions. And its been sunnier than usual for us this year! 
She laid this egg out in the flight cage by the door. This is not like her. Her favorite nesting spot is in the window boxes on the front of the loft in the flight cage. (there's a bunch of empty nest boxes inside) She doesn't usually lay eggs on the ground. I don't think she could get up to the boxes or her window box.
I did have a hen years ago - a feral I picked up sitting in the middle of the turnpike, that had that same problem. (I think thats why she was sitting in the highway!)
Every time she laid an egg - she couldn't walk afterward.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

*Guess its a "waiting game"*

I talked to one of the Dr's at work that does alot of farm calls - chickens and ducks. He said it could take a couple weeks for the inflammation on the nerve to subside. So she's on cage rest, and I'm going to keep her inside for the rest of the winter - watching tv 










She's eating, drinking and preening herself all day. But she is obviously very uncomfortable when she tries to walk


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Over the years I had three hens with this problem. The symptoms subsided after a few days of Motrin and calcium therapy, but all three had undelying health problems and did't make it. Alice had cancer and the other two had infections of their reproductive tracts.
I am not saying your hen has for sure something going on but you might want to check it out, especially since this is a new problem.

Reti


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Reti said:


> Over the years I had three hens with this problem. The symptoms subsided after a few days of Motrin and calcium therapy, but all three had undelying health problems and did't make it. Alice had cancer and the other two had infections of their reproductive tracts.
> I am not saying your hen has for sure something going on but you might want to check it out, especially since this is a new problem.
> 
> Reti


What tests did you run? Blood, fecal?


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Alice wasn't diagnosed until post-mortem. The other ones I had fecals and blood tests run. Both had elevated white counts even after the paralysis had resoved and one had cloacal swabs done. 
Whitney had a hysterectomy as the infection wasn't resolving and she is fine till today, 5 years later.

Reti


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I will share this article with you, basically it most likely is need for calcium with vit D. like Charis has said already. a cap from the drug store with vit D, the kind made from oyster shell, halved and put down her throat. you can't trust her to eat what she needs at this point. I like to have a calcium syrup on hand just in cases of these. also check your eggs of all your birds if a bit thin you may need to supplement everyone, being out of oyster shell even for a short time can affect some hens. link to article. http://www.silvio-co.com/pigeons/Parathyroid.htm


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks, I'll check that out. I was looking for a form of vit D to give her.
Do you give them 1/2 once a day? Or how often?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Msfreebird said:


> Thanks, I'll check that out. I was looking for a form of vit D to give her.
> Do you give them 1/2 once a day? Or how often?


from the article I think he only gave one, 500mg with vit D, made with oyster shell, found at the drug store. see how she does, and perhaps think of putting a suppliment in the water along with offering the oystershell, with as many birds as you have there should be a few large crocks of it 24/7


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

*Up and walking!*

Today is day 9 from when I brought Sweety in. And she started walking around last night


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I am glad she is back to normal. You will have to watch her as this tends to become chronic. 

Reti


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Reti said:


> I am glad she is back to normal. You will have to watch her as this tends to become chronic.
> 
> Reti


I thought so - thanks, I'm not going to put her back out for now. She gets to stay inside until spring.


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## Gnuretiree (May 29, 2009)

Nice going! It is always great to see progress. I am glad she is doing better. I'm sure the TLC she's getting for the rest of the winter will go a long way to her complete recovery.

Hugh


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm glad she's feeling better. I'd keep an eye on her also.


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