labored breathing - egg bound? - swollen abdomen

[chickenzoo]

You can pull up loose skin between the neck and shoulders, on the chest, anywhere you can tent up the skin and just inject into the void area.

 

[JustDawn]

Good Morning all!

Day 7
We have a poo update. She is now passing that white stuff that I believe I read on this forum that is urates trying to get by the egg (but I could be wrong... I can't find that posting this morning cause I wanted to read it again!).

I have given her a warm soak this morning and I am just about to give her some penicillin. I saw on this forum that is it suppose to be IM not SQ. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/564791/penicillin-dosage-for-chicken-need-to-know-asap-thanks

"What are you treating, exactly? If a wound, usually it's 1/2 cc in the breast muscle for a standard breed adult bird, daily for 3-4 days. When I think I'm treating egg yolk peritonitis, I use sometimes 3/4-1 cc since it's do or die with that infection.

If it's respiratory, penicillin isn't what you'd want."
(quoted from speckledhen 8/30/11)

Well, where exactly do I do it? I don't want to screw up and hurt her! I need CHICKENS FOR DUMMIES! Heading to YouTube to see what I can find!

Everything else the same.

Still breathing heavy.
Still eating and drinking.
No mucus or bubbles or anything in nose or eyes.
No sounds from chest.
Abdomen still feels hard and distended.
Vent still pulsating.

Thanks all.
Dawn

 

[chickenzoo]

I normally give the capsules, but if you have to inject it you do it in the breast muscle, in the middle of what would be the thickest part of a chicken breast from the store. Not deeply, just so it goes in. Penicillin is thick so go slowly....

 

[JustDawn]

OK I did it! I just wrapped her in a towel and gave her the penicillin injection. She wasn't pleased but I don't blame her. Is that just once a day or more? I know when you are treating kids (or dogs!) with amoxi, it's usually three times a day.

She ate scrambled eggs with ground up egg shell, seeds for treats and some ground Nutrina pellets. She is drinking water.

She is pretty much standing there though. Since I have party animal Peep with Bumblefoot in the ICU cage, she's just standing in a long tupperware box that is usually my brooder. When chicks get about 3 weeks old... they can jump out of it, it's that short. They are next to each other but not together because Peep's hyperactivity was upsetting Omelet. Oh the drama with these girls!

I will give her a long warm bath again late this afternoon and then at night. I do think it makes her feel better. I did blow dry her today. She's either getting used to me messing with her or she's feeling worse.

We will all go outside this afternoon for some sun, foraging, and visiting with their other sisters.

 

[JustDawn]

Going on Day 8
She had 3 - 30 minute warm baths with massages today.
She had an injection of penicillin.
She is eating some. She foraged a tiny bit when outside.
She is drinking water.
She is still breathing heavy.
Her poo has turned watery with white.
Her vent is still pulsating.
Her abdomen is still distended.

I am unsure if she has an egg in there. I feel something but it's very low so I'm unsure.

I feel she is getting worse and not better.

I read on the forums about draining her abdomen to relieve the pressure. Should I try that?

Thanks Dawn

 

[JustDawn]

Day 8 - She's getting worse.

OK.. we went from a possible CRD to Eggbound and now I'm leaning more towards fluid in her abdomen (though I don't know what this disease is called).

Recap (so you don't have to read the first 15 messages)
3 year old Golden Comet Hen named Omelet
No injuries or trauma
Not laying and hasn't since her molt.
Heavy breathing (we now think from pain not CRD)
Poo is getting more watery with white
Becoming lethergic
Eating has decreased and she is getting thin34 (feeding Nutrina pellets ground in a spice blender, eating scrambled eggs with grounded egg shell {hand feed her during her warm bath]- I have added nutra-drench to her diet as well) Yesterday she didn't forage much when we went outside. Not like her at all. She is at the moment nibbling on melon I gave her all by herself.
Drinking water but has decreased as well.
Abdomen is swollen (and seems to be getting bigger) - feels like a water balloon that wants to pop.

I am giving her penicillin injections IM (had second dose today)

She is getting 3 warm 30 minute baths a day (she's only had her first one today so far) and then she gets a gentle blow dry to keep her from getting a chill.

She is in isolation. I have her in my family room in a very dark, quiet area.

QUESTION - Should I give the penicillin more time to work or should I try to drain her tummy? If I need to drain her tummy.... Where exactly do I need to tap her? (A Picture would be AMAZING). I can't find it on youtube so I'm at a loss.

Another question - Draining her abdomen - I have an 18 gauge needle but only 1cc syringes. If the abdomen is that full, do I need a larger syringe or will the fluid just drain out?

Thanks all
Dawn

 

[speckledhen]

It's hard to say where to do it. I do it at the most "bloaty" part, away from the organs as much as possible, but you may not be able to get anything out. It won't just drain out easily, you'd probably have to suck it out . I have a huge 12 cc syringe, but a 22 gauge needle and keep filling the syringe, unscrewing it from the needle to squirt into a jar, while leaving the needle in the cavity. You can't do this by yourself, I'm betting.

Let me be really clear here- Penicillin may help with infection after a couple of weeks time, may help eventually with some of the fluid buildup, but if she has started internal laying, it is a cycle that will not end; I say this from vast experience with it. It is a chronic condition, worse in high production hatchery types like your hen. You can wait on draining her and allow the penicillin to work on that, but it will not fix the solid masses of infection and egg gunk in her oviducts and/or abdomen if they have started already. Draining will make her more comfortable, is all. The fluid is taxing on her organs and circulatory system. Wish I had better news for you.

If she is eggbound, the baths are to loosen up things to the stuck egg can pass, but if it's the other stuff, they are unnecessary.

These threads may be helpful to you if you haven't already seen them:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362422

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=195347

 

[JustDawn]

Thanks speckledhen. I was kinda hoping for better news but thank you for being blunt. I guess I will get a large syringe and give it a try and be prepared for the worst. I can't get to my feed store before they close tonight so it will have to wait until tomorrow. I guess I will not give her last bath tonight either. I've had her just quiet all day, but I guess that won't help what she has either.

Her sister just laid 2 eggs today. It was the weirdest thing. So now I am afraid she is going to do the same thing as Omelet... be an internal layer. One of the eggs was just fine and one had a very fragile shell. Weirdest thing... but I guess this is the beginning of internal laying for her as well?

 

[speckledhen]

Don't borrow trouble. Maybe it's just a glitch. I have one hatchery Orp hen who is over six years old. She quit laying about a year ago, but no abdominal anomaly, nothing off about her. She may have just run out of eggs. I hope your other one doesn't follow the same path as the one you're dealing with now. All you can do is deal with it if she does since there is really no prevention.

 

[EggyErin]

Dawn, I'm so sorry about the turn of events. I had a hen die a couple of months ago from what I thought was internal laying but may have been peritonitis. I, too, did the baths and massages to no avail. What struck me about your last post is that your hen had not layed since moulting. My hen went through a long, hard moult and developed problems when it seemed like she had finally finished. She was about five or six. I wonder if there is any correlation between the age, moulting and egg problems. Maybe not, but I think our similarities are interesting. What a caring, committed nurse you are. I think you're doing a great job.