If you have female birds of any breed or age, you should be aware of the symptoms of egg binding. Immediate medical attention can save your bird's life, while hesitation or mishandling may cause her injury.
What is Egg Binding and How is Egg Binding Caused?
Egg binding is a condition that can occur in female birds when an egg becomes stuck and cannot be passed out normally. This is a relatively common problem and potentially fatal, so if you have a female pet bird, it is important to know the signs of egg binding and how to treat it if it occurs. Egg binding is more common in smaller birds, like canaries, finches, budgies (also known as parakeets), lovebirds and cockatiels. Remember that a female bird can lay eggs, even if she has never had contact with a male.
Egg binding can be caused by several different conditions. In some cases, the bird has not had enough calcium in her diet and the egg shell is too soft for her to push it out successfully. Low levels of calcium can also affect muscle ability.
Poor feeding habits may result in an overall weak bird, who does not have the strength to push out an egg. Very young birds when laying their first egg may also run into problems with egg binding, as their vent may be too small for the egg. Birds which have been bred too often, or allowed to lay too many eggs without getting a chance to recover may also become egg bound.
Overweight, unfit birds can also have egg binding problems, as can birds with infections. Finally, egg binding is often genetic, or it can happen for seemingly no reason at all. If you have a female bird, you should always be aware that she may become egg bound at any time and need your help.
How to Identify an Egg Bound Bird
You should first make sure of the sex of your birds. While you may think you have a male, often the only sure way to tell the sex is when you see your bird lay an egg. If you wrongly believe you have a male bird, you will not be aware that she might suffer from egg binding.
A pet bird with egg binding will look as though she is straining to lay an egg. She might be sitting on the bottom of the cage (or in a nest box if you have one), moving her tail up and down and may be panting. She might have fluffed feathers and a swollen stomach and may have stopped passing droppings. In some cases, her legs may not be working properly, as the egg can pinch nerves connected to the spine.
If she has already laid eggs, you can also check on her species as to when the next one should be arriving. Most small birds lay one to several eggs, 24 to 48 hours apart. Unfortunately, sometimes the symptoms of egg binding are barely there, or not there at all. As egg binding can be potentially fatal, so don't hesitate to call your vet if you aren't sure.
How to Help an Egg Bound Bird
Prevention is better than a cure. Make sure your birds have a varied and nutritious diet, including plenty of calcium. If one of your birds begins laying eggs, allow her to sit on them, even if they aren't fertile, as it can help stop her from laying more and depleting her calcium levels. Allow your birds plenty of opportunities for exercise, giving canaries and finches room to fly, and small parrots toys to play with. Make sure her cage is kept hygienic, with clean water so she doesn't develop infections. Try to purchase your birds from a reputable breeder who is aware of egg binding problems and wouldn't breed from birds who have them.
The smaller your bird, the faster you need to get her to a vet if you suspect egg binding. Smaller birds can become exhausted and die very quickly. If your bird seems to have been straining for more than half an hour, you should get her to a vet immediately. Small birds, like finches should be taken to a vet the moment they seem to be having trouble. If the egg doesn't arrive before you make it to the vet, it won't be a wasted trip.
Meanwhile, you should very gently apply oil to the vent area (where the bird would expel the egg). Even if the egg is visible do not try to break it. You could easily kill your bird. Keep your bird warm using a hot water bottle or heating pad, and if possible feed her some sugar or honey water and calcium supplements to keep her lively and help her muscle strength.
Finally, if your bird survives an egg binding, don't try to breed her again, and do not breed from any live offspring she might have had. Egg binding can be passed down from mother to chicks, so it is best to try and remove the trait from your birds.
Egg binding can be a fatal condition and should not be taken lightly. If your bird appears to be egg bound, you should call your vet immediately, and begin aiding your bird as much as possible. If you keep female pet birds, you should bear in mind that they can become egg bound at any time, and be prepared to help them at short notice.
