Chicken is unwell and has very swollen abdomen

[Chooky Chick]

It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that Charcoal Chooky went to Rainbow Bridge today.

I had asked her owner if I could take her to the Bird Vet quite a distance away as she started to have slightly laboured breathing. I was going to drain her abdomen but thought I had best get permission first. Her owner said she would take her to the local vet the next day. I asked if there was any chance that I could take her that day as I felt that she would be too compromised by the following day. So I took her to the local small animal vet. I had to leave her there as, officially, I was taking her to the vet for her owner. The plan was to leave her there, she would be assessed and treated and the owner would pick her up this evening. I so very much wanted to stay with her but the horrible nurse wouldn't even let me take her to her cage, even though I used to work at that vet clinic myself and the owner works for them but at a different location. I had told her - Charcoal Chooky, what was going on and that I would see her tonight or at Rainbow bridge... I gave her a kiss on her now flopped over comb and said what was to be, my last goodbye.

I went back to her house that evening where her owner gave me the news that she had been x-rayed and her abdominal fluid was sampled. She was found to have egg yolk peritonitis. She was put to sleep.

So, very, very sad. She was a lovely big chooky that had started to trust me and follow me around and talk to me (soft chicken bwarks) when I was there. She was 8-9 years old.

I want to thank both Wyorp Rock & ChattyChickens4Life for your helpful advice and links, it is very much appreciated.

Red Chooky seems to be going along well and is in with her friends for tonight. Her owner is aware that she has an ongoing issue. We did have a conversation about speying (ovariohysterectomy) Red Chooky and apparently there is a vet at her clinic that is able to perform this surgery, but I'm not sure that the owner will go ahead with this.

Thanks once again for all of your advice.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm very sorry to hear about Charcoal Chooky
I'm glad the vet was able to at least able to give you a diagnosis of Peritonitis. At 8-9yrs old she lived a good long life and felt love your love and comfort in her final days.

I hope Red Chooky continues to get along well. Something else to look into instead of
ovariohysterectomy would be a Suprelorin Implant. I believe this is an injection to help them stop ovulating. It does have to be repeated in 3-4months depending on how well the hen does. Anytime a chicken has to be put to sleep for surgery there is a big risk, so the injections may be the way to go if that can be afforded. Of course, the vet would have to access whether either one would even be effective.
Please keep us posted.
https://poultrykeeper.com/reproductive-system-problems/suprelorin-implant-for-chickens/
https://lifewiththeexbatts.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/effies-implant/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-with-egg-peritonitis-laying-anymore.643985/

 

[Chooky Chick]

I'm very sorry to hear about Charcoal Chooky
I'm the vet was able to at least able to give you a diagnosis of Peritonitis. At 8-9yrs old she lived a good long life and felt love your love and comfort in her final days.

I hope Red Chooky continues to get along well. Something else to look into instead of
ovariohysterectomy would be a Suprelorin Implant. I believe this is an injection to help them stop ovulating. It does have to be repeated in 3-4months depending on how well the hen does. Anytime a chicken has to be put to sleep for surgery there is a big risk, so the injections may be the way to go if that can be afforded. Of course, the vet would have to access whether either one would even be effective.
Please keep us posted.
https://poultrykeeper.com/reproductive-system-problems/suprelorin-implant-for-chickens/
https://lifewiththeexbatts.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/effies-implant/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-with-egg-peritonitis-laying-anymore.643985/

Thank you for your kind words, Wyop Rocks. I had heard about the injections, but I was concerned about what might happen if it stops working before she has the next injection and she ovulates. I will check out the links.

 

[Chooky Chick]

Red Chooky is off to the vets for an x-ray and an aspirate of any abdominal fluid. I've said my goodbyes just in case... Her owner is dropping her off. I hate leaving them there with a bunch of strangers doing scary things to them. ❤

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I hope all goes well. Please keep us posted.

 

[venymae]

Best wishes.

 

[Chooky Chick]

I have good news for Red Chooky - she made it back home! I was so happy to get the news that she was back. She was x-rayed and her abdomen was palpated. They couldn't see or feel anything abnormal in her abdomen. Apparently she has Air Sacculitis and has been given some antibiotics to take - Clavulox 250mg (Amoxycillin 200mg & Clavulanic Acid 50mg) twice a day for 5 days. I'm not sure what has caused this but hopefully the antibiotics will clear everything up. She hasn't displayed any respiratory symptoms to date. She needs to put on a lot of weight as she has lot a fair bit. I'm speaking with another vet tomorrow about the implant/injection that stops them ovulating. I think I'd like for Red Chooky and her friend, Gammy Leg (who is also a red Isa/Hyline type chooky, but came with a gammy leg that may have been broken on the joint some time before she came to this home), that came together, to have these injections as they were bred to be production egg layers and I'd love to see them finally retire without the risk of succumbing to a reproductive tract disorder. Red Chooky is in a large cage by herself again at the moment. I think I'll probably end up putting her with her friends of an evening for company but leave her in her cage during the day as the other chookies and the geese tend to pick on the sick ones. I also think she's happy in the cage during the day as she knows she's safe. It's a bit lonely without Charcoal Chooky, though. I did receive a bit more info on Charcoal Chooky's vet visit. Apparently there was a small, steel screw in her abdomen as well as other unidentifiable material (seen on x-ray). When they drew fluid from her abdomen, it looked like egg yolks. I will try to up load the pic of the x-ray that was sent to me. Thank you everyone for your concern and support.

 

[Chooky Chick]

Charcoal Chooky's x-ray.

 

[Chooky Chick]

Red Chooky back home. If you have any tips on what I can feed her to gain weight, I would greatly appreciate them. Thanks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad to hear that Red Chooky is home and receiving care. For weight gain, you would want her to gain slow, but steady. You can offer her a higher protein feed like chick starter or an all flock type feed (18-20%protein). Alternatively, you can egg, tuna, meat in addition to her normal feed and cut back on things like scratch/cracked corn. A small amount of fresh fruit/veggies would be better. If they free range, then most likely they will find a good source of nutrients there. It won't hurt to give poultry vitamins a few times a week for while as well. I don't know what you have available in AU, but in the UK Nettex Poultry Nutri-Drops looks like a good product.

The xray is very interesting. Chickens will pick up anything for sure. Consuming metal objects like screws, nails, staples etc., is common, but it can also cause some problems. The "official name" for this is "Hardware Disease" http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/05/hardware-disease-in-backyard-chickens.html
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2015/07/preventing-hardware-disease-heavy-metal.html