Help! Hen Swollen/bulge under butt

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I have never drained a chickens abdomen before so here are some links.

Here's a good thread.->
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ascites-relief-did-i-do-it-right.1518677/#post-25564697

Here's a good video.->

You want to use a 18 gauge needle.

I'll tag the experts, they may offer better advice. @azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

Good video.

 

[chickentendii]

I have never drained a chickens abdomen before so here are some links.

Here's a good thread.->
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ascites-relief-did-i-do-it-right.1518677/#post-25564697

Here's a good video.->

You want to use a 18 gauge needle.

I'll tag the experts, they may offer better advice. @azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

This video really helped guide me when my red sex link hen, Dumpling, had ascites. She just recently passed this week at nearly 6 years old. I believe she lived a relatively happy life until the end. I let her live out her life as she never really seemed to be showing signs of suffering although I know birds can be good at hiding it.

I first started draining her in June 2019. I would usually drain her when she felt full or whenever she looked uncomfortable (the time periods varied). I would hold her and my mother would stick the needle in about 2 inches from her vent on the right side. We'd pull out a little over 2 oz of fluid and let the rest drain out into a bucket and towels. We never left the needle in, it would always drip out on its own. She was always pretty good about having the needle inserted and would only shift around a little, but would stay still for us when drawing the fluid. Dumpling would act a little lethargic for a day or two after draining, but still had a great appetite. She would perk back up and continue to live her little chicken life.

I used a 16 gauge 1/2 inch needle and a 60 cc syringe from tractor supply.

Here is the fluid from the last time I drained her.

Fluid from just letting it drain out of the hole

Dumpling hanging out on a towel while she drips for a bit.

This was just my personal experience with ascites and there probably better ways to deal with it. I hope for the best for you and your girl.

 

[Tookie]

This video really helped guide me when my red sex link hen, Dumpling, had ascites. She just recently passed this week at nearly 6 years old. I believe she lived a relatively happy life until the end. I let her live out her life as she never really seemed to be showing signs of suffering although I know birds can be good at hiding it.

I first started draining her in June 2019. I would usually drain her when she felt full or whenever she looked uncomfortable (the time periods varied). I would hold her and my mother would stick the needle in about 2 inches from her vent on the right side. We'd pull out a little over 2 oz of fluid and let the rest drain out into a bucket and towels. We never left the needle in, it would always drip out on its own. She was always pretty good about having the needle inserted and would only shift around a little, but would stay still for us when drawing the fluid. Dumpling would act a little lethargic for a day or two after draining, but still had a great appetite. She would perk back up and continue to live her little chicken life.

I used a 16 gauge 1/2 inch needle and a 60 cc syringe from tractor supply.

View attachment 3198985
Here is the fluid from the last time I drained her.

View attachment 3198986
Fluid from just letting it drain out of the hole

View attachment 3198987
Dumpling hanging out on a towel while she drips for a bit.

This was just my personal experience with ascites and there probably better ways to deal with it. I hope for the best for you and your girl.

So sorry for your loss.
She stayed alive with ascites for about 3 years?! That's incredible! Good job! She lived a long happy life for her breed, and she was excellently cared for by you!

 

[chickentendii]

So sorry for your loss.
She stayed alive with ascites for about 3 years?! That's incredible! Good job! She lived a long happy life for her breed, and she was excellently cared for by you!

Thank you.
Yeah, I'm surprised how long she lived myself!

 

[Tookie]

Thank you.
Yeah, I'm surprised how long she lived myself!

I had a Leghorn with ascites, I kept her alive for many months, but that's nothing compared to how long you kept yours alive! I never drained her, I made a cinnamon oregano drink mixture and gave it to her and it helped. She died almost a year ago. Her sister died two weeks ago with ascites.

 

[chickentendii]

I had a Leghorn with ascites, I kept her alive for many months, but that's nothing compared to how long you kept yours alive! I never drained her, I made a cinnamon oregano drink mixture and gave it to her and it helped. She died almost a year ago. Her sister died two weeks ago with ascites.

Awww, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your girls. Ascites sucks.

I've heard of oregano doing wonders for chickens. I would sometimes add RopaPoultry Oregano Oil to her water, but I'm not sure it did much for her because I was not consistent. I did however give her a wellness supplement daily that had flax seed in it. I read in a few articles that flax seed can decrease the severity of ovarian cancer in chickens if that was what was causing the ascites. I thought I'd give it a shot, and I believe it helped, but I don't truly know. She loved it the stuff, haha.

Here is the one of the articles about ovarian cancer in chickens and flaxseed if you're interested. I don't understand all the medical terminology myself.

 

[Tookie]

Awww, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your girls. Ascites sucks.

I've heard of oregano doing wonders for chickens. I would sometimes add RopaPoultry Oregano Oil to her water, but I'm not sure it did much for her because I was not consistent. I did however give her a wellness supplement daily that had flax seed in it. I read in a few articles that flax seed can decrease the severity of ovarian cancer in chickens if that was what was causing the ascites. I thought I'd give it a shot, and I believe it helped, but I don't truly know. She loved it the stuff, haha.

Here is the one of the articles about ovarian cancer in chickens and flaxseed if you're interested. I don't understand all the medical terminology myself.

Thank you.

The mixture I found here on BYC awhile ago, before I was a member. I think it said fill a small sauce pan 3/4 of the way full with water and boil it, when its boiling put in 1 tablespoon dry oregano and 1/2 a cinnamon stick. Boil it for 15 min then strain the cinnamon and oregano out and mix it in with the same amount of water the cinnamon and oregano was in and store in fridge.

Thanks for the links!

 

[chickentendii]

Thank you.

The mixture I found here on BYC awhile ago, before I was a member. I think it said fill a small sauce pan 3/4 of the way full with water and boil it, when its boiling put in 1 tablespoon dry oregano and 1/2 a cinnamon stick. Boil it for 15 min then strain the cinnamon and oregano out and mix it in with the same amount of water the cinnamon and oregano was in and store in fridge.

Thanks for the links!

Of course!

Thanks for the recipe, I'll have to try it sometime.