Egg Peritonitis

[Eggdance]

I should also mention, hormone implants to prevent laying could be an option. We did this, but the second dose was difficult to time and I believe it was too late. For now, I highly recommend you keep her in the dark most of the time to prevent (possibly internal) laying.

Thank you very much for your information. Breta laid some odd shaped eggs last year before she started molting in October. Then a few weeks ago she laid a few normal eggs followed by a few very tiny yolkless eggs with very thin shell. I regret so much for not put her on implant right away when she laid the small eggs. When she was laying the small eggs and the few days after, she seemed craving for protein based food, like meat. I don’t know if anybody else have noticed this behavior of their chicken with EYP. Then last Friday she was lethargic and not even interested in meat. She only drank water and eat ice. Her belly has been big. Took her to a vet and had ultrasound done. But the vet said there wasn’t much fluid in her belly. She was put on antibiotics since then, but still not eating.
Will take her to another vet today. If it’s EYP, will have her on the hormone implant ASAP if possible.

 

[micstrachan]

Some chickens really enjoy their feed dampened with warm water. You could do that to entice her to eat. I also treated my sick girl to anything she would eat when she went off feed. It may not have been nutritionally balanced, but at least she was eating something. Her favorites were live meal worms, fresh corn on the cob, raw, hulled sunflower seeds and fresh melon. I figured the melon was good for keeping fluids in her. She also enjoyed sprouted wheat berries. These are easy to sprout right in your kitchen in just a couple days and are packed with nutrients. Good luck and please keep us posted.

 

[Eggdance]

Yes, we have been force feeding her wet feed in milk, juice or yogurt. Took her to a vet today since she hasn’t responded to antibiotics. Another ultrasound confirmed that she doesn’t have too much fluid in her belly. It’s mostly mass. Doc suggested euthanization, but couldn’t bring ourselves to do it. Will nurse her for a few more days and hope for a miracle.

 

[heartsandwings]

How is your chicken doing? One of my 4 year old Golden Comet is having possibly egg peritonitis. She is on antibiotics for the past 4 days and is not getting better. She completely stopped eating since she is on the med. we have been force feeding her a little bit everyday. I may stop the antibiotics tomorrow also.

She is doing good now, she has been laying frequently and is back to her usual habits.
Sorry to hear about your chicken, all the other chickens I have had get EYP have passed away within a couple of weeks and some seemed to do okay with the treatment, others just got worse. That is what makes me think mine chook hasn't actually got it, and the diagnosis was wrong.
Hopefully your chicken is doing better!

 

[Eggdance]

She is doing good now, she has been laying frequently and is back to her usual habits.
Sorry to hear about your chicken, all the other chickens I have had get EYP have passed away within a couple of weeks and some seemed to do okay with the treatment, others just got worse. That is what makes me think mine chook hasn't actually got it, and the diagnosis was wrong.
Hopefully your chicken is doing better!

Thanks for your message. On Saturday when the weather was nice, Breta actually foraged and ate earthworms in the yard, but still doesn’t eat anything else on her own. We have been force feeding her scrambled eggs, peanuts powder in yogurt, and milk. The antibiotics seems helped a little, but not much. Most of the time she just sits in a box, but doesn’t look like she is suffering. Will continue watching for her.