Drained a Hen's Abdomen.. Rest in Peace, Olivia 11-5-10

[speckledhen]

Yes that was in my crash course. They were all here so I kept an eye on them and my fingers crossed. I was super freaked out with the avian flu outbreak because we have a pond on the property. Luckily it's far from the girls and we don't have any permanent residents on the pond.

Excellent. Glad you read up on that. I am just never worried much about avian flu. We've had so many scares already and this last one is already dissipating. The only thing that does scare me is that the gov't will use it as an excuse to eradicate backyard flocks when it's the commercial monocultures who are more likely to be affected than healthily managed "normal" flocks.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Excellent. Glad you read up on that. I am just never worried much about avian flu. We've had so many scares already and this last one is already dissipating. The only thing that does scare me is that the gov't will use it as an excuse to eradicate backyard flocks when it's the commercial monocultures who are more likely to be affected than healthily managed "normal" flocks.

I found it interesting that they have found smaller backyard flocks who have access to the outdoors are less likely to contract the flu. Mainly because they don't live in such close closed off quarters and get exsposure to germs and other things by going outside.

My girls "safe range". They have a permanent 16x16 pen attached to the coop. Then they have another movable fence. It comes down when the law needs mowed and gets put back in different shapes and slightly different places. It stays attached at the man door to the permanent pen but they get access to a better range of grass and bugs. They can come and go as they please but not wander into the 160 acres of woods across the street.

 

[Brigabart]

Thanks so much for posting all of this info. We have hatchery birds... and have started losing them. One died at 8 months - got quieter, and just died one morning in my arms. An austrolorp named Phronsie. One died recently (we had her put down) at 14 months - a cuckoo maran named Rosa. She had a swollen abdomen. I tried to aspirate, but never could get anything out. I would give her baths and calcium, it would go down slightly, but after a couple of months she was obviously in pain so we had a friend end it for her. I didn't have the heart. Now tonight I have another, a 15 month old Golden laced wyandotte. She was happy and chipper this morning. Found her this evening standing with her eyes closed, a swollen abdomen. She had a nice warm epsom salt bath after an internal exam (found nothing). Gave her calcium and she was contentedly pecking at her food in a cage when I came inside. I am afraid it will not be a happy morning tomorrow though....

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks so much for posting all of this info. We have hatchery birds... and have started losing them. One died at 8 months - got quieter, and just died one morning in my arms. An austrolorp named Phronsie. One died recently (we had her put down) at 14 months - a cuckoo maran named Rosa. She had a swollen abdomen. I tried to aspirate, but never could get anything out. I would give her baths and calcium, it would go down slightly, but after a couple of months she was obviously in pain so we had a friend end it for her. I didn't have the heart. Now tonight I have another, a 15 month old Golden laced wyandotte. She was happy and chipper this morning. Found her this evening standing with her eyes closed, a swollen abdomen. She had a nice warm epsom salt bath after an internal exam (found nothing). Gave her calcium and she was contentedly pecking at her food in a cage when I came inside. I am afraid it will not be a happy morning tomorrow though....

Sorry you have to deal with this. The hatchery Wyandottes seem to have the absolute worst genetics. All mine died of the same stuff, both Silver and Gold Laced.

 

[dreamyj]

I have a question regarding the fluid from draining a hen. Does the color of fluid give any indication as to what the cause is? In most pics and videos I have seen the fluid is yellow colored. The fluid from my hen was clear like water. Just wondering if that distinguishes it from peritonitis or not. I have read that liver or heart problems and also cancer can all cause ascites.I read that for the heart problem, you can treat with coq10. For the liver, treat with milk thistle. Not sure what to do if cancer. Can the fluid be tested somehow to determine? @casportpony @speckledhen

 

[speckledhen]

I have a question regarding the fluid from draining a hen. Does the color of fluid give any indication as to what the cause is? In most pics and videos I have seen the fluid is yellow colored. The fluid from my hen was clear like water. Just wondering if that distinguishes it from peritonitis or not. I have read that liver or heart problems and also cancer can all cause ascites.I read that for the heart problem, you can treat with coq10. For the liver, treat with milk thistle. Not sure what to do if cancer. Can the fluid be tested somehow to determine? @casportpony @speckledhen

I tend to think that the yellow is from a combination of yolk and infection so from reproductive malfunction and the clear fluid could be from heart failure as in broilers. In my opinion, natural remedies are of limited benefit, at least for reproductive malfunctions like egg yolk peritonitis/internal laying. I do think they can be part and parcel of keeping immune systems functioning at peak levels. Internal laying is genetic/hormone based. And of course, cancer in laying hens is so common, at least in the more productive ones, I'm don't think there is anything you can do other than keep their immune systems as good as you can after you start with good quality stock in the first place. Part of that may be feeding turmeric regularly.
I was told by a PhD in poultry science that I consulted when all this was happening years ago to get my stock from another source and begin feeding them all turmeric in their feed, so that's one thing you can do. He said it has anti-cancer properties, which you probably already know.

 

[casportpony]

See table 2 in this link: http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com...epatology/complications-of-cirrhosis-ascites/

I don't know if the same applies to poultry or not.

 

[dreamyj]

See table 2 in this link: http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com...epatology/complications-of-cirrhosis-ascites/

I don't know if the same applies to poultry or not.

Thank you for replying and that link. You always have the best info! The hen that I drained seems to be doing great. She laid normal egg today and is eating and running around. I didn't drain all the fluid thinking I would drain again in a couple of days. As long as she keeps doing as well as she is, I think I will leave her alone for now.

 

[dreamyj]

I tend to think that the yellow is from a combination of yolk and infection so from reproductive malfunction and the clear fluid could be from heart failure as in broilers. In my opinion, natural remedies are of limited benefit, at least for reproductive malfunctions like egg yolk peritonitis/internal laying. I do think they can be part and parcel of keeping immune systems functioning at peak levels. Internal laying is genetic/hormone based. And of course, cancer in laying hens is so common, at least in the more productive ones, I'm don't think there is anything you can do other than keep their immune systems as good as you can after you start with good quality stock in the first place. Part of that may be feeding turmeric regularly.

I was told by a PhD in poultry science that I consulted when all this was happening years ago to get my stock from another source and begin feeding them all turmeric in their feed, so that's one thing you can do. He said it has anti-cancer properties, which you probably already know.

Thank you for your response. I do as much as I know to do to make sure my girls are healthy. I feed fermented feed, acv in water, sprout barley, etc. I have always added turmeric to the feed I make for our dogs. I now will add it to the chickens diet as well.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you for your response. I do as much as I know to do to make sure my girls are healthy. I feed fermented feed, acv in water, sprout barley, etc. I have always added turmeric to the feed I make for our dogs. I now will add it to the chickens diet as well.

I do very little of the "extra" stuff, though they get probiotics in plain yogurt mixed into something occaionally. I refuse to feed fermented feed, though. I am not on that bandwagon at all, not after what I've seen. I don't sprout stuff, nothing fancy. They do free range on occasion and they forage for natural wild foods in the fresh air and sunshine, which I think it what keeps them healthier than all the stuff I myself could do for them.

Folks have raised chickens for centuries without all the fuss. I do think it's become really too complicated for some backyard flock owners, trying this and that, new fads, etc. So much of a chicken hen's issues are plain old bad genetics, which you cannot overcome with supplements. When you get better stock, you get better overall results, I've found. I feed commercial feed, a good quality higher protein layer pellet (not organic, not non-GMO, just regular decent non-dusty, fresh feed) plus a 12-13 grain scratch mix with occasional "treats" that I put turmeric, garlic and olive oil, plus plain yogurt into. I really don't fuss about any of it. And I have 6-10 year old hens laying. But none of them are hatchery girls. I can't afford to feed them better than I eat myself nor would I if I could. And they are doing just fine. BUT, all the great care in the world will not offset sucky genetics. JMHO.