I think my barred rock is dying, please help

[Barredrocker99]

Hello! I desperately need help. I have a Barred Rock that I believe is laying internally, and I don’t know what to do. I discovered she wasn’t doing well when I picked her up and her abdomen was as hard as a softball. I tried to feel around in her vent, and I’m honestly not sure what I felt. The sizes and shapes were egg like, it felt like there might have been a couple in there, but they were underneath a layer of skin, not just stuck in the vent, so I’m not even positive they were eggs. Like the vent was pretty tight and it felt like there were masses on either side. Her poop is bright green and very foul smelling, and her comb is no longer upright, but sagging on her head. I gave her an epsom salt bath two nights ago, though it didn’t seem to do much. I discovered after giving her the bath that she has mites, so I sprayed all the girls and the coop with permethrin. The mite situation should be okay for today while I’m at work I think, and I’m going to take everything out of the coop this weekend and spray the whole thing down thoroughly. I just really need some advice on what to do for my girl. These chickens are pets more than just layers, and I’d really like to do everything I can to keep her around, but I don’t want to put her through any worse suffering if this isn’t something I can treat. I had to do a crop surgery on her last year and she healed incredibly well and so fast, so I know she can handle quite a bit. I just don’t want to lose her, but I don’t want to make her suffer either.

 

[azygous]

You care a lot about your chickens, and we want to help as we know how it feels to have a sick chicken. You've given us some good clues.

Let's begin with a calcium tablet on the chance she is egg bound and not internally laying. Give her one of these. One tablet directly into her beak.

She may have two eggs stuck. If she's had any history of thin shells or shell-less eggs, this makes it more likely a stuck egg is her problem. The calcium can help contractions to push the egg(s) out.

The bad smell also points to egg binding or at least to some sort of blockage. Be sure she has plenty of water to drink as this condition can dehydrate her, making her problem worse. Offer food, as well.

How is her crop? Does it seem slow and full? Crop issues can be a side effect of this condition.

 

[Barredrocker99]

You care a lot about your chickens, and we want to help as we know how it feels to have a sick chicken. You've given us some good clues.

Let's begin with a calcium tablet on the chance she is egg bound and not internally laying. Give her one of these. One tablet directly into her beak. View attachment 2997786

She may have two eggs stuck. If she's had any history of thin shells or shell-less eggs, this makes it more likely a stuck egg is her problem. The calcium can help contractions to push the egg(s) out.

The bad smell also points to egg binding or at least to some sort of blockage. Be sure she has plenty of water to drink as this condition can dehydrate her, making her problem worse. Offer food, as well.

How is her crop? Does it seem slow and full? Crop issues can be a side effect of this condition.

I’m not sure that it’s an egg blockage, because she’s made it well over 48 hours at this point… is there a way she can survive longer with that condition? Her crop is emptying normally, she’s still eating and drinking normally.. I don’t have those tablets, but I have tums.. should I try tums or should I just go out and grab some of the calcium citrate at the store? The weird thing about the mites is that I’ve only seen them on her, and I have 14 other chickens. I’m sure my other chickens have them too, but she seems to be the main target.

 

[Barredrocker99]

Hello! I desperately need help. I have a Barred Rock that I believe is laying internally, and I don’t know what to do. I discovered she wasn’t doing well when I picked her up and her abdomen was as hard as a softball. I tried to feel around in her vent, and I’m honestly not sure what I felt. The sizes and shapes were egg like, it felt like there might have been a couple in there, but they were underneath a layer of skin, not just stuck in the vent, so I’m not even positive they were eggs. Like the vent was pretty tight and it felt like there were masses on either side. Her poop is bright green and very foul smelling, and her comb is no longer upright, but sagging on her head. I gave her an epsom salt bath two nights ago, though it didn’t seem to do much. I discovered after giving her the bath that she has mites, so I sprayed all the girls and the coop with permethrin. The mite situation should be okay for today while I’m at work I think, and I’m going to take everything out of the coop this weekend and spray the whole thing down thoroughly. I just really need some advice on what to do for my girl. These chickens are pets more than just layers, and I’d really like to do everything I can to keep her around, but I don’t want to put her through any worse suffering if this isn’t something I can treat. I had to do a crop surgery on her last year and she healed incredibly well and so fast, so I know she can handle quite a bit. I just don’t want to lose her, but I don’t want to make her suffer either.

I’m also not sure if anyone would know this.. but how can I get rid of the bird mites in a safe way for my cat? I need to spray inside my house, but don’t want to use permethrin inside and have my cat risk being poisoned. Any tips???

 

[Eggcessive]

Your cat can use a product from your vet, such as Frontline or Advantage, but you will need to research those.

 

[Barredrocker99]

Your cat can use a product from your vet, such as Frontline or Advantage, but you will need to research those.

I’ve used frontline before, and I was planning on that! I more so meant what can I spray inside the house(like on furniture, etc.) that wouldn’t harm my cat!

 

[azygous]

Spinosad is safe for cats. It's also like a nuclear bomb for mites. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...MIrc3TwYTa2AIVENVkCh2MKwg-EAYYASABEgIs0vD_BwE

 

[McChooky]

Hello! I desperately need help. I have a Barred Rock that I believe is laying internally, and I don’t know what to do. I discovered she wasn’t doing well when I picked her up and her abdomen was as hard as a softball. I tried to feel around in her vent, and I’m honestly not sure what I felt. The sizes and shapes were egg like, it felt like there might have been a couple in there, but they were underneath a layer of skin, not just stuck in the vent, so I’m not even positive they were eggs. Like the vent was pretty tight and it felt like there were masses on either side. Her poop is bright green and very foul smelling, and her comb is no longer upright, but sagging on her head. I gave her an epsom salt bath two nights ago, though it didn’t seem to do much. I discovered after giving her the bath that she has mites, so I sprayed all the girls and the coop with permethrin. The mite situation should be okay for today while I’m at work I think, and I’m going to take everything out of the coop this weekend and spray the whole thing down thoroughly. I just really need some advice on what to do for my girl. These chickens are pets more than just layers, and I’d really like to do everything I can to keep her around, but I don’t want to put her through any worse suffering if this isn’t something I can treat. I had to do a crop surgery on her last year and she healed incredibly well and so fast, so I know she can handle quite a bit. I just don’t want to lose her, but I don’t want to make her suffer either.

My biggest hen laid a lash egg soon after she started laying then laid a couple eggs without shells .Some of her eggs had blood spots in them too. She only lived about 5 months.

 

[Eggcessive]

There is not a lot you can do for a hen with salpingitis (egg masses in the oviduct or abdomen, inflamed oviduct,) egg yolk peritonitis, or cancer. Unless you go to a vet to get xrays and advice, we can only suggest things to do and give supportive care. Hens develop these disorders commonly, and most of the time we cannot know what exactly was happening until after death with a necropsy. I do them at home on my hens, or you can have a professional one done by the state vet pathologists. I recently read where a third of chickens may develop cancer by age three. When I open the abdomen of a dead hen, I usually find some evidence of internal laying, ascites, or cancer. Some of my hens have lived to be 9 or 10, but those things still will happen. If a hen has a reproductive problem, some vets will give a hormone implant to stop them from laying for 4-6 months, and that may extend their lives. I do have a few pet chickens, but unfortunately, there is no guarantee how long they may live.