Zebra lying on bottom

[arnoldus]

My zebra female was lying on the bottom of the cage 3 days ago, eyes closed, puffed up, and not reacting or caring about being touched.

I put a heat lamp on her during the day, and in the evening she was a little bit better, and next morning she was in her nest sleeping.

Yesterday and today she seemed 100% OK, no difference from normal.

This evening, I find her again at the bottom, puffed up like a balloon, not caring... What is going on?

I first thought she was eggbound. She had laid one single egg a week ago, and nothing in between. But since nothing has come out the last days, I think that is ruled out.

[cindy]

Have you checked her vent, to see if it looks like an egg she was trying to pass broke, you may see yolk or sticky material.

[G8love4finches]

My Strawberry hen did the same....acted egg bound one day, no egg laid.....Recovered, then went through the same....no egg....She did this about 3 times in a row on me, and never laid an egg....I still don't know what happened, but added heat for her, and she recovered....She has not done it again since.

[Sally]

I have had a hen act eggbound and then never pass the egg, either that or she ate it before I could find it. Anyway, it does sound like she could be eggbound, so I would keep up with the heat. If you have liquid calcium, one drop directly in her beak helps a lot. If she keeps doing this, then I would pull her from breeding and let her rest, also increase her calcium intake with liquid calcium in the water at least once a week.

[arnoldus]

Today she looks fine again... Strange.

I had a post here that seems to have been removed.
I asked if the process of excrementing is a definite contra-indicative to being egg bound, as I have witnessed aforementioned relieving of excrement?

[Piciorusm]

Same problem here with my Shaft-Tail hen! 2-3 time acting egg-bound! and never laid since a single egg!... despite all the heat, the calcium added, cutlebone, extra"bonusses" , mealworms! Nothing!