Please HELP!! Egg Yolk Peritonitis? Need confirmation and advice

Gertie, a 7 month old Black Australorp, was a bit "doe-eyed" yesterday and was laying in the cool grass while all the other girls were eating bugs and grass. I checked her out and decided to just keep an eye on her.

Today, I found her away from the others in the shade (it's been very hot here - dry climate). Again, she was kind of doe-eyed. Thinking she might be a bit over-heated, I took her in the kitchen and let her rest in about 2 inches of tepid water in the sink. I noted her crop seemed empty and made up a bowl of oats and canned cat food - usually a favorite treat. She at a little - maybe 4 or 5 bites.

I picked her up and she pooped a clear liquid with some strandy looking "cooked" yellow yolk in it. She had it all over her butt - so I washed her off in the sink. Her vent is NOT swollen or red. However, she has kind of a labored wheeze when she breathes. No discharge from her eyes or her nostrils.

I've given her some juice from my homemade canned peaches with a dropper just to get some calories and fluids in her. She took about a tablespoon. I've got her in a plastic storage box in my bathroom with water, the catfood mixture, and a towel over it.

Now I'm doing my research...and the poop chart has nothing like it. I was thinking respiratory but saw info on peritonitis and the poop seems to fit as well as the labored wheeze. I don't see any evidence of swelling or redness - but perhaps I've just caught it VERY early. Out of my 8 girls, I have had someone laying the occasional softshelled egg - so I'm wondering if it's her and one finally broke inside....

I need opinions and treatment - apparently quickly as it sounds like this can be fatal fast. I have a vet who I think will work with me if I tell him what we think it is and what I need to treat.

Thank you in advance for any and all advice! I love my girls!

Well, it's hard to be definite about something like this. If you saw what you thought was loose egg material in the poop, then you could be dealing with EY Peritonitis, yes, though it could be more than one thing. She's really young for this type malfunction, but it's not unheard of. Just hard to say for sure. If I saw that, I'd start mine on heavy penicillin immediately in hopes of knocking out an early infection, 3/4-1cc daily for 3-4 days. Then you give supportive care, good nutrition, as much as you can get down her and wait it out. She could have a touch of heat stroke, too, so keep her in a cool place for a few days. Sorry, I can't be more help.

That's exactly what I needed Speckledhen! Thank you for your input.

I had a somewhat similiar situation with my Parsley. My hen isn't wheezing or labored breathing but she hasn't passed an egg in 3 or 4 days now and lost all her color in her comb/face/waddles and seemed very weak. The vet dosed her with Ivermectin and started her on Baytril because there was a small watery feeling mass between her legs. The vet suspected Egg Bound or Egg Yolk peritonitis. 10 days of Baytril and anti parasite medicine.
She is looking much better, her redness is back, her appetite is starting to come around again and she is dustbathing and singing egg songs BUT she's not laid.

She had some xrays today and there is no egg but fluid in her abdomen. So my vet said, liquid baytril, an anti inflammatory/pain reliever as long as she is still acting like a normal chicken. The option of draining her abdomen is available if it grows, but hers is seems to be draining on it's own at night.

Get to the vet ASAP, take a fresh sample of the poop and the yolk looking substance, if she is strong enough, get some xrays. Also note if there is a lot of fluid in the coop from overnight.

Thank you! I'm trying to contact the vet right now!

Ok...the vet is going to "squeeze" us in in the morning. He asked that I bring the info I've found here since he doesn't have "chicken" experience. Anyone else have suggestions or info I should take with me?

search Speckledhen's posts.....she is the voice of experience. You need to hit this possible infection hard and fast.

Other than supplying antibiotics you may not be able to get at the feed store like Baytril, and possibly testing and surgery, could be a vet is of limited help with this, I hate to say. I hope that isn't the case. At least he admits he has not much experience with chickens; most won't say that and will charge up the wazoo anyway.

Yes, hitting the infection soon, hard and fast, is the best thing you can do. Other than that, all you can do is hope it isn't recurring, though it usually is, IF that is the issue. There may be something else going on that we can't detect by outside symptoms. Let us know what happens, okay?