GouldieFledge
Treatment for Eggbinding
Finches succumb quickly to egg binding and urgent action is necessary. When handling an egg bound hen, extreme care should be taken to avoid rupturing the egg passage which can lead to egg peritonitis. The bird must be immediately given warmth. She should be placed in a hospital cage with a constant temperature of 79-85 degrees Fahrenheit until egg has been passed. If a hospital cage is not available, a 100 watt light may be placed inside a cage and the cage wrapped with plastic or cloth. During this period, the hen should be kept quiet and provided with an increase in humidity. This humidity can be created by placing a flat dish of water close to where the hen is being housed.
It will also help to increase the calcium intake of the hen. This may be done by placing several drops of calcium into the drinking water, or one drop to the beak. I found that Calcium Plus works great for this application. An immediate increase in calcium will do nothing to harden the shell of an already formed egg but will do wonders in improving the muscle action needed to expel the egg. Vitalize can also be administered to keep energy reserves up while the bird works at passing the egg.
To assist with the passage of the egg, gently massage with a vegetable oil, the area where you feel the egg. If not laid within one hour, catch the bird again and gently try to massage the egg out. You will have little to lose by drastic measures since the egg must come out or the bird will soon die. Egg-bound hens that recover should be given antibiotics for a few days. It is dangerous to attempt to breed this hen again until the nutritional deficiencies have been addressed.
Always keep in mind that egg binding is a symptom, not a disease. It is a symptom of extreme malnutrition. Breeders who feed only grains, greens, cuttlebone, eggshell and water will invariably find their birds do have egg binding problems.
© lady gouldian finch.com 2016
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I'm devastated. She's been looking ill all morning, staggering around the cage, staying on the floor...it looks like there is probably an egg lookin to come out.
