As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Jane is not well, and I am assuming she is egg bound, something I've never dealt with. So the last 24 hours I've spent giving chicken baths, inserting olive oil drenches in various chicken parts, and basically asking the large online chicken network for opinions. Yesterday I took these pictures when she first showed signs - limp wings, eyes closed, dull, not eating...and a large egg shape swelling below her vent.
After hours of studying chicken anatomy, I don't understand how that swelling can be a stuck egg, since it is below the canal that the egg would come out. I'm concerned the swelling is from something going wrong in the canal below her egg tube, the name of which I've forgotten, starts with a c.
Anyway, Jane and I are are bravely forging ahead. She seems to like the warm soakings, and tolerate the finger probes in her vent - sorry, this is a farm emergency so one must talk about probing chickens. I have her separated, in a crate, and she is residing in the Ward room, where the old goats live. Edmonia Lewis has been pecking her, so I will keep her crated excpet for sunning outings. And she is eating eggs and yogurt, slowly, but she is still eating. If any of you have experience with this, feel free to chime in. Many of you already have on Facebook, and thank you for that.
In a nutshell, it's frustrating to not always know what the problem is, but with chickens, even if you did, there is often nothing you can do. In the meantime, she is cared for, and safe, and I'm happy she seemed a bit more alert today, but obviously uncomfortable.
Jane is one of the Three Janes, and I'm very fond of her Barred Rock personality. I'm still hoping, but cringe on each walk to the barn. Hang in there,Janey.
