Egg Yolk Peritonitis Prevention or Management

[emilysteng]

smallflock3 - Casino has had 3 injections of Lupron about 2 weeks or so apart. My vet has had pretty good success with it in the past ( I think alot of his success were with other birds - more housepet birds) which is why he thought it'd be good for her. Even though it doesn't always work - he said it would be good for both EYP or an ovarian tumor.

Casino is still losing feathers but eating alot and hanging out with her flock. The feather thing is scary. Maybe she is just going through a normal molt because her body knows she isn't laying? I hope so.

That is nice you ordered those crickets for her. I didn't know you could do that.

I'm going to have to look more into this rescue center. That is interesting. Maybe I will ask them questions too. I never heard of this patch. What is that about?

 

[Mitfordsmom]

Hi! Debbo is still with us, we are having an unusually warm spell of weather in the UK so she's been enjoying lying in the sun a lot. She is definitely better than when I got back from holidays but by no means a healthy hen, the anti biotics seem to be keeping her from getting worse but are not making her greatly better. Once she is enjoying a good quality of life I'm happy enough - it's just a matter of wait and see I guess.

 

[smallflock3]

I don't know if I should call it a patch, for some reason I did, but what they were going to use was called a hormone implant, I think they called it DESLORELIN. I guess it works like birth control. For some reason I want to say it would last up to 6 months, not sure, and who knows the cost of it. Definitely more than the Lupron but if you're getting them often I guess that adds up too. My ISA Brown, Betty, is losing feathers too but all my birds are in a molt, so I'm not sure, like you, if it's from the tumor or just the time. She wants to stay outside so bad, but I can't let her. Yesterday while I was at work the crickets some how started escaping from the box. My husband called me when he got home and was so upset, so now the 500 is more like 100 and we can hear them chirping inside one of the walls of our utility room. Just something else that went wrong. Betty gets excited when I take her in there because she can hear them. I have to figure out what to do (go figure). Don't get me wrong but I hope that Betty doesn't have more than a tumor in her (which is bad enough), just the thought of the egg masses makes me sick. She's losing some weight too. All my red hens have had to suffer and Betty is the last one left. I need to fix it so she can be outside more but I'm afraid as the Prednisone pretty much shuts down or weakens their immune system. Sorry didn't mean to go on, we all just want them to live.
One more thing, wonder how long these birds can be on antibiotics? Does anyone know? Mitfordsmom, how long has your Debbo been on them? I know the Vet gave me enough for the Polish hen for 10 days. Just curious.

 

[Mitfordsmom]

Hi there, well I started Debbo on the antibiotics exactly one week ago and I'm sad to report that I found her dead this morning. So the antibiotics couldn't hold off the inevitable. She got them twice a day without fail. I had a feeling she wouldn't make it through the night as she put herself to bed at about 5pm last night when it was still sunny and beautiful outside. I didn't take her in the house as she seemed so happy in the little nest she'd made herself. I just made sure I petted her lots and I told her how much I loved her. She was in the same spot this morning. I have now lost two out of my four hens in the last few weeks, they are/were the first hens I ever had so I'm pretty miserable.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Darn. I am so sorry!!!

 

[emilysteng]

Oh Mitfordsmom! I'm so sorry!!! That is very sad. Poor Debbo. I know you must be very sad.

Well at least she knew she was loved and was comfortable in her little nest. I hope your other girls fare better. Keep us updated.

 

[Mitfordsmom]

Ah thanks guys, it's nice to have people who understand! My other two girls seem very healthy but you can see they are confused as their little gang gets smaller and smaller. I have to go back to Ireland (where I'm from) to visit family, Saturday to Tuesday so didn't want to get any hens before but as soon as I get back I'll get 2 or 4 more.

 

[smallflock3]

I'm so sorry! I'm sitting here at my desk at work all teared up for your little hen. I'm glad you had her somewhere she was happy. My Betty is not happy in the house! And I keep debating. God bless your Debbo, and at least she won't suffer anymore. I know they hide it a lot so who knows how really awful they feel. Betty is one of my first hens too. Her sister died 2.5 years ago, and the replacement hens, one died in April and the other in July of this year. All from egg related deaths. These red hens had an old rooster named Wilson, he's a gentleman (as much as a rooster can be) and now is really confused and lonely too. He is not eating as much as I know he is depressed. I take Betty out and put her in a pen next to him so they can see each other. I'm not ready for anymore hens. I have in addition to Betty, 7 other hens, but in different groups. I know so much how you feel and again I am sorry!

 

[Mitfordsmom]

Thank you so much! We buried Debbo beside Diana last night and I felt so bad leaving the two of them out there on their own - bonkers I know! But at least they are together and when all four were alive Diana and Debbo always stuck together. Oh sometimes I regret getting chickens, they're breaking my heart but they give me so much happiness for so much of the time I guess that's the price to pay. I hope things get better for you, poor Betty and Wilson - that had me in tears!

 

[emilysteng]

I know - sometimes I wish I didn't care about them so much either! That is so nice that Diana and Debbo get to be together again.

I understand about wanting to keep them inside but feeling bad about it. That's how I always feel about Casino. It's tough.

This patch is very interesting - thanks for the information. I'll have to look into it more and find out the details. Sound expensive - but the Lupron has already been very expensive. $55/shot and she gets two shots each round. so 6 shots already.

Casino's boyfriend, Scrando, now has quite the flock of girls. Casino, Big Momma and Black Krip (Casino's BFF) - and then there's little Blackie, who tries to hang around them but gets chased away. Both Black Krip and little Blackie are Big Momma's kids, but Black Krip was the previous generation and little Blackie was the most recent batch. Poor little Blackie gets chased by everyone. Even Casino gets in on the chase. But when I try to feed Casino it's just a circus. I can't feed everyone (they are all wild chickens and if I tried to feed everyone it would be a madhouse) and really just want to get Casino as much as she will eat. But everyone tries to get the food and if anyone comes near Casino will just walk away (except for little Blackie who she chases). I feel like this causes her to eat less than she would if it were just her there.

I'm comforted a bit today about the molting thing. I noticed today that Big Momma seems to be losing some feathers too. At least I think so. and I found out from someone else that their ducks are molting right now and that it is molt time around here. So at least the molt thing might just be a normal molt.

But on the other hand, even though she is eating and whenever I see her poop it looks pretty normal, I feel like she is not quite right. She is so against being near me and doesn't want to go to the usual hunting spots to look for geckos. She used to always want to go hunting and you could generally call her over to the spots and she would look. Now she will look if she is nearby but won't come over when I call. After she eats she usually just wants to go back into the bushes and be with her other hen friend who is scared of us. Today she seemed kind of tired in the afternoon after eating treats. I don't know. I want to grab her to try to feel her belly but she is especially elusive right now.

Maybe she needs more Lupron again. But I can't afford to give her Lupron every few weeks forever. But I wonder if that is the only thing keeping her well these past weeks.