Egg yolk peritonitis treatment help

alinas2010

Free Ranging
Premium Feather Member
Jul 8, 2022
3,235
11,578
686
Wyoming
First off, I am not 100% sure if this is what this hen has. I’ve only researched and come to this conclusion. I know she has some reproductive issues and it’s not shocking given her breed and age, unfortunately. She is a 2 YO Rhode Island Blue production hen. She is a pet and I’d like to make her comfortable for as long as I can. She’s had a water balloon-like abdomen for the past year or more, can’t run and walks really slow, has started isolating a bit more the past month, occasionally I will get an egg from her - it is not a normal egg; it’s usually oddly shaped, cracked and mended, soft or extremely large. I pulled a soft shell out of her vent this past week. She poops only liquid yellow poop the past 3 days. Picture attached. She does have a full crop at night, so she’s eating well. I know she’s still in a very soft molt that started in November.

Edit to add: she also spends excessive time sitting on the nest. Sometimes it’s a few hours. It rarely results in an egg anymore.

I just want to help her be comfortable, I know I probably can’t save her. How do I do that tho? I don’t know what is appropriate. I know to stop all treats. Do I give antibiotics? Do I drain her abdomen?

I have several antibiotics on hand: aquamox, tylan 50, LA-200, aquazole, cefpodoxime.

I have a CHF medication on hand - benazepril, could that help with the fluid build up in her abdomen? I also have syringes to try to drain instead.
IMG_3896.jpeg
IMG_3898.jpeg
IMG_3894.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I think I am going to start her on amoxicillin. I’m making that choice based on the color and consistency of her droppings and the fact that I pulled a soft shell out of her vent the other day. That shouldn’t hurt her if she doesn’t need it, should it?
 
Last edited:
The aquamox I have only comes in 500mg capsules, so I gave one this evening. I’ll give one a day for the next 7-10 days. I hope that will be enough. I spoke too soon as her crop is tiny today and it’s clear she is not feeling well. She is just laying there and closing her eyes.
 
Can anyone offer any advice? Jafar really isn’t feeling well. She didn’t want to move when I opened the run door today. I carried her out and all she wants to do is sunbathe. I wish I could help her.
IMG_3910.jpeg
 
Day 2, second dose of amoxicillin. Pretty sluggish today, basically wanted to sunbathe and nap in the grass all day. The constant sunbathing must just feel great. Has not wanted me to pick her up, so I guess that’s good she has some fight. Did come out of the run herself this evening very very slowly then plopped down in the grass to sunbathe. Been drinking water herself today.
 
I believe Jafar is on the mend. In saying that, I don’t think she could have EYP. Rather maybe it was the soft egg shell I pulled out of her about a week ago? Perhaps that caused an infection. I went to wipe her backside up last night and it smelled incredibly like what an E. coli infection smells like - what I remember from working in a lab anyways. I’ll never forget that smell!

Anyways day 3 on 500 mg of amoxicillin and she is greatly improved from yesterday but still not 100%. She is still sluggish and walks slow, still wants to lay around a bit, but is eating and and but more active. She accepted treats from me today and was feisty to take her meds. I love her so much!

Sunbathing again but much less lethargically ❤️
IMG_3929.jpeg
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom