What is egg binding in birds?

Egg binding occurs when a female bird's body cannot expel an egg, leaving it lodged in the reproductive tract. The stuck egg may remain partially formed or fully developed, and the bird's muscles exhaust trying to push it out. This condition is not uncommon in captive birds and ranks among the most urgent avian emergencies.

Signs of egg binding include labored breathing, puffed feathers, lethargy, a swollen or tender abdomen, and straining without producing an egg. Some birds become immobilized or adopt an abnormal posture on the cage floor. In severe cases, the stuck egg may rupture internally, causing peritonitis (abdominal infection) or damage to organs like the kidneys and intestines.

Causes range from poor nutrition (especially calcium deficiency), obesity, stress, and genetic predisposition to bacterial infection or oversized eggs. Young or inexperienced birds laying for the first time are also at higher risk. Without treatment, egg binding is fatal. A veterinarian must diagnose the condition through physical exam and sometimes imaging, then treat it through supportive care, calcium supplementation, warmth, or in critical cases, manual extraction. Any bird showing these signs requires evaluation by an exotic or avian veterinarian right away.