Ascites?? Swollen, squishy abdomen - WITH PICS & VIDEO (page 9)

[tamtam84]

PerfectPoultry - I'm sorry to hear you are going through this! If her belly is full and feels squishy (not hard), I think it would make her much more comfortable if you could drain her. If you have access to a vet that can do it, that would be the best thing. However, you can do it yourself if need be. Here's my video showing how I drained Buttercup -

She was so full of fluid that I just had to poke her a few times and the fluid would drip out on its own and she would empty overnight or in a few hours. There is more info on this thread about the needles I used but I started with a 22 gauge and used a 20 when the fluid was a little thicker. Best of luck to you! I hope it works out.

 

[PerfectPoultry]

Thank you! I tried to drain her, but not a lot of stuff came out. Her belly is kinda hard...? What is this?

 

[tamtam84]

Well, sometimes Buttercup's belly would be more hard and other times it would be more squishy. I don't know for sure and I never had a vet confirm it, but I suspected that she had tumors growing and that made her belly have hard spots. The longer she went on, the harder her belly got. Since your hen hasn't laid an egg in so long, I'd suspect she has been laying internally all this time and the yolks have been backing up in her system getting infected and causing fluid to build up.

If you try to drain her again, feel around for a spot that maybe squishier. Sometimes I wouldn't get much out of Buttercup in a certain spot, but if I moved the needle a bit, I'd get a lot of fluid. Just stay down around her vent area off to the side and avoid going too far up so you don't hit any organs with the needle. Good luck!

 

[PerfectPoultry]

I've gone all the way to the back of her breast bone * gush!*.... There's tons of it. It looks like puss and lymph. It's leaking from her liver is what I read what happens.

 

[RobinZech]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Escorting a pet out of this world is a difficult thing to do, but I feel the same as you. I'm sure Buttercup was comforted with your presence. She will be missed dearly.
I believe your posts have helped prolong my Ruby's life. Thank you.

I too am having issues once again with my Ruby. She doesn't appear to be swollen but is very lethargic and has a droopy tail,& green watery poo. I have been sitting with
her in the sunshine (in the 70s here) and petting her. I have began to force feed her yogurt, hoping with will help with her poo. It all happened so quickly. She was really rebounding,
even molted and has regrown all her feathers back and now this. I just don't want her to be suffering.

 

[tamtam84]

PerfectPoultry - I'm sure she will feel better once the fluid has drained. Buttercup's fluid initially was a thin fluid, like water, and had a light brown tinge and no odor. The last time I drained her, it was drastically different. Thicker, much darker brown (almost like really muddy water) and had a strong odor. That's when I really got concerned she was reaching the end, and she did end up passing less than a week after that.

RobinZech - Thank you for the sweet comment. I'm so happy that this thread has helped you with Ruby. Buttercup started going downhill pretty quickly after her last rebound. All the fluid mysteriously disappeared one night and then she started molting. She was totally great until a couple weeks after her molt was over. The fluid came back and her belly got bigger than ever before. It was only 2-3 weeks after that that she was gone. Buttercup had rebounded so many times before this, so I was hopeful she would come back again. But she was so unbelievably skinny that deep down I knew she wouldn't come back from this. Her last day she wouldn't eat at all and wouldn't move. I'm glad I didn't have to make the decision whether or not to help her pass. I would like to think she didn't suffer much until the very end but of course chickens can't tell us when they are in pain so it's hard to tell. I wish you the best of luck with Ruby and hang in there with her! Arkansas chicks had her hen Sophie come back from the brink of death, so there is always hope.

 

[arkansaschicks]

Pinolechic - Both times my girls got the watery green/yellow poop I knew it was a bacterial infection and used Baytril and they got better. I think in the case of ascites it is difficult to keep infection from setting in. I think it is just a matter of time because the ascites is the product of something else. In my case with my hen Maddie it was a tumor. With My BO's Gracie and Shelby I think it is Fatty Liver Syndrome. My Gracie died after having her swelling go down cause she went broody and then it came back and then she molted and it went away and came back. She then just died suddenly in my arms about 2 months after she was done molting. Shelby is one of Gracie's chicks and I am having the same issue with her. I really am thinking Fatty Liver is hereditary. Shelby is around 3 yrs old and this is about the same age Gracie died. It sounds like we all just want a couple of chickens to be our pets and we aren't so worried about production. I feel the best thing we can do is to do a little research to find out the best breeds.The most popular breeds have been breed so much to up the egg production that there isn't any way to not have problems.

Perfectpoultry - I can't help you with any draining issues. After I lost Maddie on the table from the vet draining her there was NO way that I was ever going to try it! Just call me chicken!! I hope your girl is doing ok. I would not mess with her too much in one day. I would let her rest so she doesn't go into shock. All the poking I'm sure is a lot of stress.

RobinZech- With Ruby, had she been swollen like Buttercup and Shelby? Tamtam mentioned my girl Sophie that was sick for over a month. She would not eat and lost a lot of weight but she never was swollen with fluid. She just started molting and then just went downhill. Still do not know what happened to her but she got well. I do not know how to link a previous thread but maybe Tamtam knows how. My thread on her was something about" watery green and yellow poop". I am beginning to think that molting has something to do with what happened to Sophie. Since then I have had 3 others start a molt and have constant watery poop for a month and lose a lot of weight. They also lose their appetite. Mine refuse to eat all the treats they used to go crazy over. Try scrambled egg,oatmeal,cottage cheese or tuna.The one thing that always worked was crickets from the pet store. Sophie lived on crickets for a month. I even went to feeding baby bird formula from the pet store. Hope you are able to get some food down her. Good luck!!

 

[PerfectPoultry]

This bird is quite hardy if you ask me... PM me for further info for reasons...

 

[RobinZech]

Two days ago I moved Ruby into the laundry room of my house. She has become so weak and lethargic. I did notice that she was a bit squishy and drained off some brown/amber liquid. The next day I needed to drain her again only this time the results were terrifying, she started gasping for air, throwing her head back. Poor thing was in a panic, ( so was I). I kept talking softly and gently stroking her and she finally settled down. She really hasn't eaten or drank anything. I even went out and dug up a few earthworms for her, she gave a little peck at them and just gave up. I have managed to give her a taste of some cooked oatmeal and drops of water from my finger tips but I know that's not enough.
I am amazed at how tough that little girl is. She was one of the top in the pecking order. I don't mean to go on & on, but I know that there are others who feel and understand what I'm going thru.
Thanks for all the suggestion and support.

 

[tamtam84]

RobinZech, I'm so sorry. The same thing happened to my hen Aster when I took her to the vet. They took her temperature and she just started thrashing around and gasping for air. I kept asking the vet, "Is she dying? Is she dying?" and she said no, and said we should give her some oxygen. I sat with her on my lap in the other room with oxygen on her and just talked to her softly and pet her. It was very traumatic, so I understand completely. When I brought her home, she did perk up a bit and ate some bread dipped in olive oil, but she ended up passing away that night.

I really hope your Ruby can pull through. Just keep checking on her and trying to get her to eat. I hate that you are going through this. There are so many of us who know what you are going through and can relate. I'm praying and sending positive thoughts to you and Ruby. Hang in there and let us know how she's doing.