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Thank you. I have some good news to share about Kiwi. A few days ago, I decided to give her some oregano and thyme, along with VetRx. Since then, I have moved her into a separate pen. She has a container with basic feed, (I also gave her some corn, but she already ate that up!) a waterer filled with plain water, an extra container full of water I mixed with Save-a-Chick electrolytes, a dish of olive oil, and a bowl of the same herbs I used before, oregano and thyme. I've been surprised to find that Kiwi is actually beginning to act more like herself. She went from barely walking and appearing to be dying, to moving around, eating a lot, and making noises. She has also been pooping, and her poop appears to be healthy looking. I still occasionally see her standing more upright, which does concern me sometimes, but I think she's doing better. I haven't gotten any eggs from her in a while, though. Thanks for posting the videos and updating about your hen, who I really hope gets better soon. Yes, it's possible that Kiwi has water belly, since her stomach area did feel squishy before. I'll be sure to keep updating on her!Has she made any progress, by chance?If youâre looking for supplements, NutriDrench is good for very weak birds or birds needing a boost. You can add electrolyte and vitamin powders like Save-a-Chick for a few days in a row if dehydration is a worry. Another idea is to offer remedies and supplemental food as free choices â for example, standard feed in one container, a head of lettuce hanging from above, grit scattered, plain yogurt, cooked egg yolks in another container, vitamin water as well as plain water.
Iâve been trying to read all I can and look for solutions for my hen. Oviduct malfunction and/or egg peritonitis seem possible. So far, the implant seems to be the best bet for that. Iâm going to call for pricing on Monday and will update here in case you or anyone reading this is interested. At home options might include limiting her exposure to light and/or feeding a low-calcium diet to reduce chance of producing more egg shells. It makes me sad that most reproductive issues are incurable. Luckily my girl is still moving around and eating. I love her and want her to be happy and comfortable for as long as possible!
Could Kiwi have ascites (âwater bellyâ)? If so, I found this video and this other video to be helpful. We tried draining our hen but got only a little bit of blood and stopped. The vet also tried draining her without success. We were as clean as possible to avoid introducing infection. It wasnât the right solution for us, but from the comments on the videos it looks like itâs been helpful for a lot of chickens.
Iâll be keeping your sweet Kiwi in my thoughts. You are giving her so much love and doing your best with the resources you have. No matter what happens, she is a blessed little bird who has brought joy during her time here.
It seemed like she was bouncing back for a minute there. My mind also jumps to tumor when I read about the bleeding lump below her vent. If that's the case, you couldn't have done anything to stop it from progressing, except perhaps very expensive surgery which would have been risky to try on such a sick hen. You clearly gave Kiwi a beautiful life full of love and attention. She died knowing she was cared for and important, a beautiful gift for any feathered friend. Thinking of you.
