Water belly

[EmsJ]

My little girl has a bloated belly and messy bum. She will eat and drink but looks so uncomfortable and I want to help her. Has any one any advice to make her better. I am told you can’t cure but make her feel better.

 

[LaFleche]

How old is she?
When did she last lay an egg?
When did you last deworm and what did you use?

You can give her a bath in warm epsom salt water to clean her butt. Dry her well with a towel and blow dryer before putting her back outside.

If it is water belly/ascites this is how to drain her and make her feel more comfortable:

 

[EmsJ]

She is just over 2, but has not laid since before Christmas. I gave the whole flock the Heygates flubenvet Layers Pellets. I have been trying the epsom salt baths as well with no luck. She eats a little and drinks. but underneath feels just like full of fluid. She looks so sad. I did also feel for a egg in her which I am sure she is fed up with me poking and prodding poor soul.

 

[LaFleche]

Could you upload some pictures of her full body and just lower abdomen for us to see how far her condition has developed?

Does she have trouble breathing, resting a lot?

 

[EmsJ]

Yeah I can go and take some, her breathing is okay at the moment, She does rest a lot now though. But does manage to fight the new girls still if they get in her way.

 

[EmsJ]

I can also feel the fluid behind her legs on the side.

 

[LaFleche]

If you feel up to it, drain her yourself as shown in the video I linked earlier.

High production hybrids will usually not recover from the severe conditions that cause ascites/water belly and the way to prolong their life and give them some relief is draining the accumulated fluid to remove pressure from the organs.

You will usually see them perk up afterwards and have a better quality of life for some weeks until the fluid builds up again and so the circle starts anew.

 

[EmsJ]

If you feel up to it, drain her yourself as shown in the video I linked earlier.

High production hybrids will usually not recover from the severe conditions that cause ascites/water belly and the way to prolong their life and give them some relief is draining the accumulated fluid to remove pressure from the organs.

You will usually see them perk up afterwards and have a better quality of life for some weeks until the fluid builds up again and so the circle starts anew.

Thank you so much for your advice. I have watched the video and may try it. Will she ever lay again. Or will doing this just help her until we have to do it again and give some relief.

 

[LaFleche]

Will she ever lay again. Or will doing this just help her until we have to do it again and give some relief.

She may never lay again, but draining the fluid will bring her relief and can help to prolong her life.

 

[EmsJ]

She may never lay again, but draining the fluid will bring her relief and can help to prolong her life.

Thanks anything to make her feel better is a good thing.