HELP! Hen swollen as big as a turkey.

[chicken grandma]

Quote:
There is no egg shell when the internal laying happens. The egg makes a shell farther down in the track. Where it pops into the abdomen is before it has a shell on it.
We did drain the fluid off my hen's abdomen, and we gave her Baytril. And yes, we had to do it a year later also. But we're almost at 2 years now, so I am glad I treated her. We've enjoyed the time with her.

 

[DuckLady]

I cleaned this thread of judgmental unhelpful remarks.

Please be helpful or move on from the thread.

OP, sorry for the disruption.

 

[speckledhen]

Let's not get off track discussing dogs and cats in this thread, please.


With internal laying, there is no visible shell on most of the eggs that build up. Solidified infection and egg gunk form like an onion in layers in the oviduct, getting larger and large, eventually looking almost like sausages in a casing inside the oviduct. Some yolks drop into the abdomen and become like little pancake shaped floating infection islands. Even if you drain the hen, those will remain, and the fluid builds up again. We've opened up numerous hens upon their deaths and found the same things.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

gsim, how is your hen doing today?
Copper Top spent the night in the house again last night and while we were out doing errands this morning she laid her egg. It was large but not overly large like some eggs I have gotten. I don't think it is even a double yolk. However there was another leathery type shell that was torn open in the crate. It had blood on it and there was no sign of egg yolk in the shavings. I am thinking that the hard shelled egg was encased in the leathery shell. The regular egg had a lot of gunk on it. Copper Top still has a very swollen abdomen. She has been taken back out to the coop and I will be keeping an extra close eye on her. [Hopefully she won't brag too much about her spa treatment or the other girls will be wanting it too!]

 

[gsim]

Quote:
She has had no change. Still getting around ok. Let her out of run to explore all around, but she never went over 30 ft from the gate, staying alongside of the run, just scratching and exploring. Wanted her to experience that before it is over for her. Am certain to put her down soon. She does not eat now, and no wonder. She can hop up to roost at night and get down ok too. Last one out of coop and just hangs out under it most of day if inside run.

Sounds like you saw the collagen layer around the egg? I feel bad about this whole business, while realizing that it goes with the territory.

Gerry

 

[Hillbilly Hen]