Chicken lethargic and sitting like penguin

[cxp138]

Hi so glad i've found this amazing resource for backyard chickens. So much to learn and read. I have a sapphire chicken who is not well for the past few days. She is lethargic and sitting back like a penguin. I have 2 of this breed of chicken and they are about 3 years old and have been egg bound a few times and sort of acted this way until they passed the egg. This time she is pooping just a little runny but eating and drinking. I probed her egg vent a couple inches and can't feel an egg. She is in her second warm epson salt bath now and we have moved her inside the past couple days but no improvement. Earliest we can get her to the vet is on tuesday. Any help or ideas would be so greatly appreciated.
Thanks all!

 

[Eggcessive]

If she normally lays eggs, then I would give her a human calcium tablet with D3 daily for a few days until she lays or seems better. At her age, a reproductive disorder (salpingitis, internal laying, EYP) or cancer can be common. Do you have any pictures of her or her poops? How does her crop feel? Make sure to check it in early morning before she eats or drinks, to see if it is empty. Check her lower abdomen between her legs to see if it is enlarged which might be from fluid or internal laying. Her lethargy and penguin stance can also be a sign of egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[cxp138]

Thanks so much for the quick reply! I am so new to this and don't know what crop is or how to feel it See pics. Definitely no worms crawling around. She is really pooping alot today.

 

[cxp138]

So after looking further I noticed her abdomen was swollen like a water balloon. From other posts on ascites I followed to a youtube video on how to drain safely. I made it to tractor supply 10 minutes before closing for a short 18 gauge needle and 20cc syringe. She wasn't going to make it through the night. I drained off about 4 full syringes and then sat there with her for an hour over the bathtub and let it drip slowly. Before this procedure she had collapsed onto her side, and as she was breathing out, the fluid drip accelerated so I know it was the cause of her pain. Thanks everyone for the help here. I know she is seriously ill, but to not have to see her die of fluid suffocation and hopefully be around for a little while longer has everyone and the kids very happy. She's only 3 years old so not sure what the underlying cause is, but she was walking around and you could tell she felt better. She's sound asleep in a bed I made her in my wife's bathtub

 

[Eggcessive]

So glad that you were able to drain her belly and that she is feeling better. Ascites can be from a number of causes, such cancer, liver disease, heart failure, and egg yolk peritonitis. Draining can help to relieve pain and pressure, and help to ease breathing. It is a temporary fix, and will not cure the cause. There is a risk of infection, and some have died afterward. Was the fluid that you got from draining yellow, amber, or darker?

 

[cxp138]

In my several calls to emergency vets in my area I found one that is going to see us on Tuesday, that is if the draining was successful. After I removed the fluid I washed the area thoroughly and she is sleeping inside. The fluid was yellow like urine the whole time. My wife corrected me and this chicken is only 2 years old It would be terrible odds if she had cancer or heart failure already? Of course anything is possible. Is there any treatment for egg yolk peritonitis. We have 2 of these sapphire chickens and have had several egg bound issues with them both. The others stay in the same coop but have no issues. Maybe a breed thing?

 

[cxp138]

So I drained chickens water belly of yellow fluid on thursday. She quickly approved and is eating with no more labored breathing, but she still waddles like a penguin?? Did I not drain enough? Puzzled now as to what it could be. So hard to find an exotic vet around here. Our appointment tomorrow got cancelled but we were able to locate another for wednesday a bit further away.

 

[Eggcessive]

Ascites is not curable. Draining her occasionally may help with the labored breathing, but fluid will reaccumulate. Draining may be helpful for awhile, but infection can be a risk, and eventually, she will die of whatever caused the ascites. Most of the time they will continue to leak fluid from the needle hole for hours after draining.

 

[cxp138]

Thanks as always Eggcessive. Her stomach is definitely close to normal and at least right away does not feel like it is filling with fluid, so I guess i'm just in search of the primary cause of the ascites. She is eating and pooping a little runny, but i'm just stumped at the penguin stance still when they balloon between her legs is now gone? Vet tomorrow so hope to hear a little more.