- May 23, 2009
- 16
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- 22
I'm probably not going to be able to determine what's going on with this hen, but thought I'd toss the description out here for comment anyway. -Rochelle
1) 3 and 3/4 year old dorking hen, skinny breast was hidden under those great dorking feathers; lower abdomen swollen
2) sluggish, tail down, shrivelled comb looked very dirty/dark, looks a bit better after being isolated in the house for two days; no injuries, no discharges, no wheezing, sneezing, or oozing. Sometimes appears to have medium-ish labored breathing; is "squat walking," which is what caught my attention, walking low to ground rather sluggishly and with some impaired balance
3) noticed the symptoms two days ago
4) No other hens exhibiting these symptoms, but i lost a barred rock this summer with similar symptoms. thought it was egg binding but it was probably some other abdominal blockage; gradual decline over several weeks until death; no necropy. also had a sudden hen death about four days ago (see #6)
5) No bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
6) I am aware of nothing that may have caused the situation; however, another dorking of the same age died suddenly four days ago. Found her sitting listlessly on edge of nestbox. When she let me pick her up, I knew something was wrong. Could find / see NOTHING-- no discharges, injuries, etc. Only thing noticeable was when I carried her into the house, she tried to squawk once and rattled in her throat. She absolutely refused to eat or drink that night though I did manage to annoy her enough to get a good look at her mouth which was healthy and clear looking. No discharge. No wheezing. Her crop was very empty. Her breast was skinny. In the morning she was dead in the "hospital cage." There was a greenish yellow fluid discharge where her head was laying after she died. no necropy.
7) Bird in question is in the house in cage and has been eating fairly normally, though probably a bit less than would be normal. Ate yogurt yesterday very enthusiastically-- even during her bath and being dried off with hair dryer. She's eating commercial layer crumbles, a little scratch, a few sunnies. I added chicken vits-electrolytes to her feed, as well a bit of olive oil and vitamin e oil..
8) Poop is very small, urates are obvious, occassional mini-rocket blasts of quite liquid poo with mostly urates.
9) At first I was concerned about egg binding so brought her in, have given her two warm soaks and abdominal massages, checked vent and feel nothing. I've just let her be warm and still and added a bit of nutritional bounce to her food as per #7.
10 ) I will not be taking her to a vet. I am just wondering if it sounds like some kind of abdominal or reproductive or digestive obstruction rather than egg binding-- tumors, cancer, etc. At first, I did think I felt something hard like the side of an egg from an external examination, but in re-examining her abdomen today, it just feels quite tight but squishy, so I'm wondering about ascites from some source. I'm also wondering if I'm just going to watch another hen decline and die. I know ascites is aspirated, but I also know it mostly just recurs. And although I see no symptoms in any other chickens (flock of about 20), I'm feeling a bit discouraged that some underlying viral tumor or something is at play in my flock. Arg. Any thoughts are welcome.
1) 3 and 3/4 year old dorking hen, skinny breast was hidden under those great dorking feathers; lower abdomen swollen
2) sluggish, tail down, shrivelled comb looked very dirty/dark, looks a bit better after being isolated in the house for two days; no injuries, no discharges, no wheezing, sneezing, or oozing. Sometimes appears to have medium-ish labored breathing; is "squat walking," which is what caught my attention, walking low to ground rather sluggishly and with some impaired balance
3) noticed the symptoms two days ago
4) No other hens exhibiting these symptoms, but i lost a barred rock this summer with similar symptoms. thought it was egg binding but it was probably some other abdominal blockage; gradual decline over several weeks until death; no necropy. also had a sudden hen death about four days ago (see #6)
5) No bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
6) I am aware of nothing that may have caused the situation; however, another dorking of the same age died suddenly four days ago. Found her sitting listlessly on edge of nestbox. When she let me pick her up, I knew something was wrong. Could find / see NOTHING-- no discharges, injuries, etc. Only thing noticeable was when I carried her into the house, she tried to squawk once and rattled in her throat. She absolutely refused to eat or drink that night though I did manage to annoy her enough to get a good look at her mouth which was healthy and clear looking. No discharge. No wheezing. Her crop was very empty. Her breast was skinny. In the morning she was dead in the "hospital cage." There was a greenish yellow fluid discharge where her head was laying after she died. no necropy.
7) Bird in question is in the house in cage and has been eating fairly normally, though probably a bit less than would be normal. Ate yogurt yesterday very enthusiastically-- even during her bath and being dried off with hair dryer. She's eating commercial layer crumbles, a little scratch, a few sunnies. I added chicken vits-electrolytes to her feed, as well a bit of olive oil and vitamin e oil..
8) Poop is very small, urates are obvious, occassional mini-rocket blasts of quite liquid poo with mostly urates.
9) At first I was concerned about egg binding so brought her in, have given her two warm soaks and abdominal massages, checked vent and feel nothing. I've just let her be warm and still and added a bit of nutritional bounce to her food as per #7.
10 ) I will not be taking her to a vet. I am just wondering if it sounds like some kind of abdominal or reproductive or digestive obstruction rather than egg binding-- tumors, cancer, etc. At first, I did think I felt something hard like the side of an egg from an external examination, but in re-examining her abdomen today, it just feels quite tight but squishy, so I'm wondering about ascites from some source. I'm also wondering if I'm just going to watch another hen decline and die. I know ascites is aspirated, but I also know it mostly just recurs. And although I see no symptoms in any other chickens (flock of about 20), I'm feeling a bit discouraged that some underlying viral tumor or something is at play in my flock. Arg. Any thoughts are welcome.
