Laying hens with "water belly" or "ascites"?

[JanetMarie]

Thanks for posting the u-tube videos. Where can I get a needle and catheter? I only want to poke her abdomen one time per draining session. Thanks.

 

[casportpony]

Shabana..................    I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you . One of my girls has ballooned up , and I was losing her earlier today....... her heart was giving up, I couldn't get a vet , I couldn't cull, I started searching online. I came across your posts here... and despite not having a proper needle to drain her, I followed what you had said. I can't measure how much clear /slightly yellow fluid I have managed to drain from her using the sterilised sewing needle and gravity method. She is breathing more normal, she has had some water and a taste of tomato , I gave her some metacam, and she is now sleeping .  I hope she will still be here in the morning, if not I take comfort from knowing she is definitely more comfortable now than she was before. So thank you <3

Welcome to BYC! Glad you found this thread helpful.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Thanks for posting the u-tube videos.  Where can I get a needle and catheter?  I only want to poke her abdomen one time per draining session.  Thanks.

In most states you can get needles and syringes at Tractor Supply, but some states you need a prescription. Catheter you can by online or a medical supply store.

-Kathy

 

[JanetMarie]

In most states you can get needles and syringes at Tractor Supply, but some states you need a prescription. Catheter you can by online or a medical supply store.

-Kathy

Okay. Thanks. I think the best way is to use a needle like you posted on page 7 and just let her drip for a few hours. It seems like it would be better than using a catheter tube, and maybe dripping out at it's own pace would reduce any shock rather than drawing it out with a syringe. What do you think?

 

[TreeKim]

Hey Y'all- PLEASE help!

I have a 3 year old Leghorn who definitely has ascites and has had it for at least a few months. (It look me a while to figure out what it was that was making her on and off lethargic with a limp comb.) We drained a lot of fluid out of her this week, and she seems to be feeling pretty peppy now. She has always been a very energetic girl and a very good layer, but she hasn't laid an egg in several weeks now.

I know ascites is caused by something awful like heart or liver failure. Given that she is pretty thin and has always been kind of high strung, it seems likely that it's her heart. I'm starting to feel like putting her down would be the right thing to do, because A) whatever she's got is not going to get better and B) she is probably suffering and in pain even when I can't tell.

I love this chicken. She is one of my very first 3 chickens that I raised from chicks and I am very attached.

I'm really just looking for confirmation that putting her down is the compassionate thing to do here. I don't want her to live the rest of her days in pain and stress when her life has been a very good and peaceful chicken life.

I'd appreciate your 2 cents! Thanks~

 

[TwinsLoveChicks]

Hey Y'all- PLEASE help!

I have a 3 year old Leghorn who definitely has ascites and has had it for at least a few months. (It look me a while to figure out what it was that was making her on and off lethargic with a limp comb.) We drained a lot of fluid out of her this week, and she seems to be feeling pretty peppy now. She has always been a very energetic girl and a very good layer, but she hasn't laid an egg in several weeks now.

I know ascites is caused by something awful like heart or liver failure. Given that she is pretty thin and has always been kind of high strung, it seems likely that it's her heart. I'm starting to feel like putting her down would be the right thing to do, because A) whatever she's got is not going to get better and B) she is probably suffering and in pain even when I can't tell.

I love this chicken. She is one of my very first 3 chickens that I raised from chicks and I am very attached.

I'm really just looking for confirmation that putting her down is the compassionate thing to do here. I don't want her to live the rest of her days in pain and stress when her life has been a very good and peaceful chicken life.

I'd appreciate your 2 cents! Thanks~

If she is acting better and you don't mind keeping her despite less egg productivity, then I personally wouldn't put her down. A couple of months ago, my 4 year old RIR had Ascites as well. I actually never drained her and just in the last week or so it appears to have gone away completely. She has only laid a couple eggs in all that time. Just like your hen, she's one of the first chickens I ever got, and I'm very attached to her. She's slowed down a little since then, but she still hangs out with her friends, sleeps up on the roost at night, and free ranges with them during the day.

However, if your hen is suffering and wouldn't be able to live out her life in a normally, and you think that she isn't happy, then I understand why you might consider putting her down.

I hope this helped!

-TwinsLoveChicks

 

[TreeKim]

Thank you, TwinsLoveChicks. She has had ascites for at least a couple of months, and she has been on and off feeling terrible and having issues laying. We've seriously done everything- at first I thought it was worms, then an infection. After many tears all day we decided to put her down last night. I am really, really sad, but I feel like it was the right thing. Yesterday I gave her lots of treats and crickets and made sure she had a good last day. I really sensed from her that she was ready to go, and I really wasn't up for the inevitable suffering that was going to hit her again any day. ****, loving creatures is hard! RIP Yolandi. <3

 

[CuteChick369]

You have to look at quality of life. It's hard in a chicken because they don't wag their tail to show you they are happy. But, if she's doing chicken things like preening, dust bathing, eating, drinking, perching at night, then I think you can give her more time. My hen I drained about once per week for several months. She just recently passed away, I think very likely due to the extreme heat, and I was on vacation at the time and I don't think she got quite the care I would have given her. I was really sad, but I'm glad I let her live those months. We bonded much more in that time, and she became even tamer and enjoyed coming into the kitchen for a treat, and talking with me.

If your hen is not doing those chickeny things, then she's not feeling well and the loving thing to do is put her to sleep.

Good luck, I know the decision is so hard. Trying to make that decision for my cat right now! I'm sorry!!

 

[nicollee]

Hugz...

The hardest thing we have to do is letting go of the ones we love...

Dog, Cat, Chickens...

I'm glad you gave her a special last day...

HUgz..... .

 

[chrissiemids]

I have just performed the drain for ascites and drew off syringes f yellow odourless fluid. She is still dripping fluid so hopefully she will feel better in morning.she is 2 and a half and is the mother hen. Always been a good layer and a black rock.