Ascites or egg bound?

[huntersmoon]

Hi,

This morning I noticed this hen waddling like a penguin and repeatedly squatting as if to lay her egg, and eating with her tail drooped down. I corralled her and gave her a soak in warm water with light abdominal massage toward the vent, and did an internal exam. I feel something hard and round, when my finger is in up to my middle knuckle, but I am not sure if that's her gland or an egg. I lubed it up as much as I could and have her isolated. I've got oyster grit set out for her and am going to get some Prep H to reduce swelling.

Her abdomen is so swollen - when I had her on her side to examine her and palpate/lift the feathers away to examine her, I did observe a small amount of mostly clear fluid come out of the vent. Like when I went to open the vent slightly, a tiny amount came out. I think this means she's egg bound with perhaps egg fluid in there, rather than the ascites, is this right? (i.e. I don't see a symptom of fluid emerging with ascites).

The first image is with her on her side (after the bath so she's wet) with the vent near my arm. The second is a bit blurry but it was the best angle to show the swollen abdomen (also just after her bath)

Anything else I should be doing? I've got her isolated and know to repeat in an hour or so.

Thanks
Shannon

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she and has she been laying eggs recently? Her abdomen appears very enlarged, and that could be ascites or internally laid lash egg material from salpingitis. Does she have any trouble breathing? Do you feed a layer feed? If ascites is a problem, fluid can occasionally be withdrawn with an 18 gauge needle after disinfecting the skin on the belly. Ascites fluid is yellow or amber. In internal layers, the egg may be deposited in the abdomen instead of entering the egg tract. The 4th picture in post 42 of this thread shows the needle in the lower belly of a hen with ascites:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites.68731/page-5

 

[huntersmoon]

She's between one and two years old. I think she has been laying eggs recently but couldn't tell you if she did yesterday. She panted for a couple of breaths when I had her on her side, but she had also had just been flapping her wings to escape me. I didn't notice her panting when she was walking around. I will go out and observe her breathing. Thanks for the link.

 

[Esther of Souza]

Hi,

This morning I noticed this hen waddling like a penguin and repeatedly squatting as if to lay her egg, and eating with her tail drooped down. I corralled her and gave her a soak in warm water with light abdominal massage toward the vent, and did an internal exam. I feel something hard and round, when my finger is in up to my middle knuckle, but I am not sure if that's her gland or an egg. I lubed it up as much as I could and have her isolated. I've got oyster grit set out for her and am going to get some Prep H to reduce swelling.

Her abdomen is so swollen - when I had her on her side to examine her and palpate/lift the feathers away to examine her, I did observe a small amount of mostly clear fluid come out of the vent. Like when I went to open the vent slightly, a tiny amount came out. I think this means she's egg bound with perhaps egg fluid in there, rather than the ascites, is this right? (i.e. I don't see a symptom of fluid emerging with ascites).

The first image is with her on her side (after the bath so she's wet) with the vent near my arm. The second is a bit blurry but it was the best angle to show the swollen abdomen (also just after her bath)

Anything else I should be doing? I've got her isolated and know to repeat in an hour or so.

Thanks
ShannonView attachment 2692680View attachment 2692682

Hi, I just logged in to this side because I have the same problem. I already lost one chicken about three weeks ago due to those symptoms. I thought that she is egg bound, but she wasn't. Now, I have another chicken with exactly the same symptoms. I am wondering if this is a kind of virus or bacteria? Help and advise is greatly appreciated!

 

[Eggcessive]

Many hens can suffer from reproductive disorders, such as salpingitis with internal laying, and egg yolk peritonitis. Bacteria can enter the abdomen from the vent traveling up the oviduct, as well as entering through the bloodstream. Certain respiratory diseases, such as infectious bronchitis and MG can also help to cause reproductive disease. Reproductive diseases are not actually contagious, but you may see more birds with those in a flock. They can be more common in todays super layers that we buy from hatcheries.

 

[huntersmoon]

How old is she and has she been laying eggs recently? Her abdomen appears very enlarged, and that could be ascites or internally laid lash egg material from salpingitis. Does she have any trouble breathing? Do you feed a layer feed? If ascites is a problem, fluid can occasionally be withdrawn with an 18 gauge needle after disinfecting the skin on the belly. Ascites fluid is yellow or amber. In internal layers, the egg may be deposited in the abdomen instead of entering the egg tract. The 4th picture in post 42 of this thread shows the needle in the lower belly of a hen with ascites:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites.68731/page-5

Thanks for linking that thread! I drained about a cup of clear fluid off this morning and will do more tomorrow, as I understand doing it all at once can send them into shock. It was my first time injecting an animal and it went really well!

Shannon