Experience with draining chicken?

[Cortney53]

I am at a loss here. For the past week I have been working alongside my red sex link chicken. I noticed her tail was down and she wasn’t laying (she was a great layer). I gave her epsom salt baths, blow dried her, gave her calcium, soft food, vitamins and checked her vent (no egg). Days went by she would eat and poo. She gained a baseball size hard lump abdomen I came to the conclusion it was ascites. I was able to get a 22 gauge needle from pharmacy I inserted just below her right leg and drew nothing. I attempted 3 times. I wonder if the needle was too small. I have contacted my vet for an emergency appointment today. I want to save her so badly. I’m giving her milk thistle on the food too. I am so sad she is one of my babies for 2 years. I am heartbroken and hope she will pull through. Does anyone know why else might the reason be I could draw no fluid? I feel horrible for even poking her now. It’s a nice day so I put her back with her flock and she was very chipper about it but the weight she is carrying is awful. Just so sad. I hope the vet can help. Her comb is also drooped and pale/ blue tipped. My other chickens are doing well.

 

[Cortney53]

I called the vet for an appointment and they said they only see cats and dogs. I’m crying.

 

[Cortney53]

Update- she now also has sour crop too. It is so swollen looking. I feel sick with sadness over her suffering. I don’t know what to do she is slumped in a nesting box in our house and I offer her food and water but she only had a couple bites with acv. I want to alleviate her pain somehow I am thinking baby advil.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry about your hen. Ascites can be from heart or liver failure, or a result of internal laying. Most people who have posted about draining ascites have used larger needles-- 16 to 18 gauge. The fluid can be in different locations, so may need to be inserted in a different spot. If you do a search for draining a hen with ascites or Google that, you should get some good links to read. Baby aspirin can be given for pain. A slow crop can be related to being sick, but if it is sour, she may need treatment. It sounds like you may want to think about putting her down so that she doesn't suffer. It is not easy to do that, but sometimes necessary.

 

[Cortney53]

Thank You for your reply. I wanted to turn her slightly upside down, empty her crop or give her acv and antibiotics and try to drain her water belly again but out of desperation of not wanting to treat her further with another unsuccessful attempt, I called the vets around town begging for someone to see her, finally I found a vet willing to see my girl. She came and felt her mass under her belly and told me she believes the mass is a tumor. I asked her if there was more we could do and was willing to continue to hand feed her or even syringe feed her, but the vet said she was passing and it may take days more of her suffering toward her inevitable passing. I cried and agreed it was her time because seeing her suffer is so painful. She was so stoic about it all. A cuddly chicken who I love. I have never seen something suffer something so awful with such grace. The fight she had in her inspired me to keep fighting with her. I thought she might pull through. She was euthanised and I am grateful she is at peace.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I'm so sorry you lost your precious friend. I'm on the verge of having to make the same decision for my rooster.

 

[Trish1974]

I am so sorry @Cortney53 . I know how much it hurts.