3 year old Starlight Green Egger

[ckuehn]

So since may 13th, she seemed like she was coming out of it. No eggs but I found her in the nest early this week. I told her she never has to laying egg again, and now she is swollen. Her abdomen looks hard but is squishy. I started the aquamox again. I gave her calcium, I gave her epsom salt baths. she eats but lays around a lot. her back end has been trimmed a month ago or so, but I got pics today. I have to think it is reproductive issues. Rita Hayworth laid a big green egg every day since she turned five months old. I'm begging her to take a break and rest for the rest of her life. She came from an egg production pack. Her feet were really red before, like her whole body was inflamed. She is not like that yet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's still laying eggs without issue?

She may be starting to get a bit of fluid in the abdomen or having some reproductive issues.
If she's moving about, eating/drinking/relatively active and chickening, then I'd monitor her.
If she starts to decline or has difficulty breathing, fluid in the abdomen, trouble walking, etc., then giving an antibiotic and draining excess fluid can be given as a supportive care and comfort measure.

 

[ckuehn]

She's still laying eggs without issue?

She may be starting to get a bit of fluid in the abdomen or having some reproductive issues.
If she's moving about, eating/drinking/relatively active and chickening, then I'd monitor her.
If she starts to decline or has difficulty breathing, fluid in the abdomen, trouble walking, etc., then giving an antibiotic and draining excess fluid can be given as a supportive care and comfort measure.

She hasn't laid an egg since early May. She walks like she has a full diaper.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She hasn't laid an egg since early May. She walks like she has a full diaper.

But is she acting normal otherwise - relatively active, eating/drinking, etc.?

Sometimes if they have fluid in the abdomen, they can still go quite a while without medications or any intervention.

She may be starting to get a bit of fluid in the abdomen or having some reproductive issues.
If she's moving about, eating/drinking/relatively active and chickening, then I'd monitor her.
If she starts to decline or has difficulty breathing, fluid in the abdomen, trouble walking, etc., then giving an antibiotic and draining excess fluid can be given as a supportive care and comfort measure.

 

[ckuehn]

But is she acting normal otherwise - relatively active, eating/drinking, etc.?

Sometimes if they have fluid in the abdomen, they can still go quite a while without medications or any intervention.

She is relatively active. I took her off the aquamox three weeks ago because she was nearly back to normal, even moving up in her pecking order place. She hadn't laid though. I don't think she is able to lay anymore. I promised I wouldn't subject her to any more treatments beyond the antibiotic. She is not in pain, I don't think. Just uncomfortable with the abdomen. Why does she get that fluid anyway? What fluid is it?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If she's really uncomfortable, sometimes draining the fluid can be helpful for a short period of time.

Fluid in the abdomen is a symptom called Ascites. Fluid can be due to reproductive disorders like EYP, Cancer, etc. and/or from organ dysfunction like heart failure, fatty liver disease or similar. It's hard to know what condition is causing the fluid unless you lose the bird and either have a professional necropsy through your state lab or perform an informal one yourself to see if you can find the cause.

 

[ckuehn]

I drained her today and she seems better. How likely is it that she is going to get an infection from the syringe hole? I used rubbing alcohol and vetricyn.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I drained her today and she seems better. How likely is it that she is going to get an infection from the syringe hole? I used rubbing alcohol and vetricyn.

If you cleaned the area really well before inserting the needle, then chances are fairly low, but there's always a risk.

 

[ckuehn]

If you cleaned the area really well before inserting the needle, then chances are fairly low, but there's always a risk.

It seems swollen again today. Maybe I didn't take enough out. It wasn't draining when I let her go yesterday, but there was some blood. Should I do it again? Any advice is just advice, I understand, but I haven't seen in the threads anyone doing it two days in a row. She is uncomfortabl;e, but not breathing hard. This has been going on a month or more, but I have only drained it once.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Was there blood from the needle stick or blood in the fluid that you withdrew?