Egg yolk peritonitis? How would I know?

[bscorpio73]

I have a black marans that has already gone broody this spring. She usually lays really large eggs with meat spots in them. After raising her chicks she went back to laying, but her eggs started out small, then gradually became larger. She is about a year old, or a little older. She went in the nesting box last night, and looked as if she was going to lay an egg. She did not, but has stayed in box all day, except to come out for short time to eat, peck, etc. I have no idea what a chicken's butt should feel like, but it feels squishy. I can't tell if she is broody again, or if she is trying to lay. How will I know if something is wrong, and what can I do to help? I have no idea what to do.

Thanks.

 

[bscorpio73]

Also, this morning I felt her crop, and it felt like a large flat round disk. Should I carry her to a vet?

 

[DanceswLabs]

I will be curious to read responses. I have a broody Leghorn, and when she first started acting broody, I thought she was egg-bound. I have never had a broody chicken and didn't know what they were like, and I didn't expect a Leghorn to go broody. When I went to collect eggs one morning and this Leghorn was back in the egg box on the eggs making a "Jurassic Park" noise at me, it suddenly clicked that she was broody.

Does yours now act anything like she did the first time she went broody? I would think a squishy behind is a good sign. Looking forward to responses.

BTW, I bought fertile eggs for my Leghorn and they should hatch this weekend. I hope she is not upset when they turn out not to look like her!

 

[bscorpio73]

Congratz on upcoming chicks. I too bought fertile eggs, as I don't have a rooster. They don't even notice that the chicks look nothing like the mother.

My hen does not growl, or puff up when I go to her, like she did the first time. But she is very docile and I was able to handle eggs and her during last broody spell. I can also see her feathers in rump area pulsating, as if she is getting ready to push something out. I have read some other posts about how egg parts get clogged up, with out necessarily having a shell, and ended up dying of infection. I am just curious as to symptoms and behaviors before hand, so I can avoid this, if possible. She does end up sitting on another hen's eggs, so she still could just be broody, but the flat hard disk shaped crop is bothering me as well. It doesn't feel empty, but it may still be emptying? I have no idea.

 

[bscorpio73]

Well, i just felt her crop, and it is fine. Never felt a flat disk shape before.

And I think she is just broody, because she keeps jumping from box to box to sit on others eggs.

Now I have two broody birds. Gotta make something to put them in, to get them off the nest, and cool their butts off.

This makes 4 so far this year, and I have another one that might go broody in a few weeks, as she did late summer last year. I don't have enough room to keep raising chicks.

 

[DanceswLabs]

I am glad she seems to be ok!

I don't know if it helps, but I moved my broody girl inside so the other wouldn't get any ideas. I take her out a couple of times a day and then put her back in with her eggs. The other chickens already don't like her, so I am not worried about them not liking her anymore. She was an only chick and never had a group to take her in. We have joked that that is why she went broody; she is trying to hatch her own team!

Where are you in NC? I am in Wake Forest.

 

[bscorpio73]

I am actually in Raleigh. Don't think my neighbors would appreciate the roosters and my yard is not big enough to keep buying fertile eggs to stop hens from sitting. I have three chicks now, that the current broody hen (and another hen) raised. They both pretty much ignored the chicks after they feathered out. I sure hope the other marans doesn't decide to go broody again with the one in question. I also have a third marans that has been broody for a while now. I keep taking eggs away from her, but she just won't get the hint. I have 7 laying hens, and three chicks that are about 8 -10 weeks old. (I can't keep up with the age, lol). One of the chicks is a roo, and not sure how to rehome him, being a loner.

I tried to keep a roo before, but he scared my son, and he had to go. I have had my hens hatch two batches of fertile eggs I bought, and I really can't keep doing that. Especially since I have 4 hens that go broody, and one of them seems to do it more than once a season. I would have to buy a farm to raise all the chicks. LOL Maybe one day in the future.

 

[bscorpio73]

Oh, and just in case, I called NCSU Vet school, and they referred me to Dixie Trail Animal Clinic to treat my hen, if necessary. 919-781-5977 They even discount new patients by 50% on first sick visit, which would put the exam alone at around $26. FYI if you ever need that, but you may have a vet closer to you somewhere. I was panicking about where to take her, if I had to. She is one of my favorite hens, and she lays the biggest eggs, when she is not broody. >

Although they are nowhere near dark for a marans egg.

 

[DanceswLabs]

THat is good vet info to have. Our vet doesn't do chickens, but I have taken ducks to an exotic vet for bumblefoot. It was an exotic price too!

I am not in the city limits of Wake Forest, but it is our address. We are actually in northern Wake County. So that vet could be a possibility for us in an emergency.

We had a rooster last year, Stewy, but he had to be dispatched. He was a mean little &)(*R(*&^! I would love to have another rooster if he understands that people are not to be messed with and it doesn't crow all the time (which annoys my husband). I don't know if we will try the rooster route again though; even though Stewy was mean, I cried when he died. I guess I am not cut out to be a farmer!

 

[bscorpio73]

I am with you there.

Don't think I could go through with killing and eating my chickens. Went to let chickens out this morning, and found one of my easter eggers laying dead in the nesting box. :,( She had just laid an egg, and was still warm. I don't know what in the world happened to her.