HELP Please !! Sick hen, swollen belly, having hard time walking

[Mama Kay W]

I have a large New Hampshire Red hen, she is soon to be 3 years old (in June). She hasn't laid an egg since October last year (none of my other 3 have either).
Her comb started turning redder earlier this year and I thought maybe she would be laying soon but her and the other 3 haven't laid at all.
I started noticing her comb was turning a purplish/blue color and that her tail feathers were down and she was standing like a penguin. She was moving slow and couldn't jump up on the roosting bar at night any more. I started her on antibiotics a few days ago it's DURAMYCIN-10. Today I noticed her comb is back to being pink (normal for her) but she is having a hard time walking and still standing like a penguin. Her belly feels very squishy and I have checked her for being egg bound which she isn't.
I have read a lot on here and what I've read sounds a lot like either an internal laying or fluid build up.
Her eating habits have been good, she eats fine, but her poop is somewhat normal but has a whitish/yellow custard like stuff with normal poop.

I do have one other NH that is larger than her and I've felt her belly which also feels a bit squishy but she is acting normal, eating and running around fine with her tail up.
I also started her on the same antibiotics just in case.

Does anyone have any advice or help? From what I have read, doesn't sound good Thank you.

 

[chooks4life]

Can you get a photo of her? It could be some kind of internal blockage, or it could be a broken pelvis or some other injury to her pelvic area. I have seen a hen walking totally upright like a penguin before, still laying, unable to get over a three inch raised board never mind perch, but she died after a few months.

Best wishes with yours.

 

[Mama Kay W]

This is what she looks like today. When I went in to take her picture she stood up and almost looked like her tail feathers were up like normal when she walked, then stood like she is now. Her tail feathers have been touching the ground for the last few days but today they are up off the ground. I felt her belly basically between the legs and it still feels a bit bloated and squishy. She is pooping a lot still.
She has been "talking" to me a lot more today and tried to eat my hair when I was giving her some food, she has been pretty quite since I noticed she wasn't feeling well. Her comb today is a much better looking pinkish/red color.
The divider we have to keep the wood shavings in (pine shavings) is about a 4" height over the depth of the shavings and she can make it over that, but the roosting bar is to high for her, our other NH struggles to get up that high too (roosting bar) but she is VERY large and very heavy (she's bigger than Molly here).

I really hope someone can help, I know none of the hens may never lay again but they are my pets and I get very attached to my pets. Most of them will even let me pet them like a cat and the rest of them are really missing their buddy.

 

[Mama Kay W]

Any help?

 

[ten chicks]

Possible peritonitis,but could also be Ascites(water belly).

 

[Mama Kay W]

Thanks Ten Chicks, I believe it is ascites from what I've been reading. I'm trying to figure out how to drain the fluid, no vets around here to help.
I know that she will eventually die from this, I don't have it in me to cull her, I've gotten too attached to them.
She still gets up and walks over to me and lets me pet her and still loves to eat. Other than the swollen belly she seems fine, the comb has completely gone back to normal pinkish/red color and she is talking a lot more.
I think I will try to drain some fluid and see what happens from there, I don't care that I'm not getting any more eggs from any of my hens (haven't gotten any since Oct last year anyway).

If anyone has some ideas on how to drain the fluid I'd greatly appreciate it, at least it could help her feel better even if it's only for a short time. This is my first attempt at raising chickens, I've already lost one last year, don't know what happened.

It's worth a shot to try to save her for at least a while.

 

[ten chicks]

There have been several that have drained the abdomen,do a search and see what they have used. If i find links i will post them here.


Read this thread as it is very recent.

www.backyardchickens.com/t/853726/ascites-in-desperate-need-of-some-help-and-guidance/10

 

[Mama Kay W]

Thank you for the link, I have read about milk thistle. Does this help with ascites? Or the fluid build up?

 

[Mama Kay W]

Well, I got a needle and syringe, I tried to drain some fluid. I did get some out, it was a yellowish color. I had a hard time getting the little bit out so I took the needle out and tried about an inch away and got like a yellowish blood mix, not sure what I did wrong so I stopped.
I'm not sure exactly where to stick the needle, I know I didn't stick it in too far, but I don't really know what I am doing. I have read a lot but where exactly to stick the needle in is hard to know.
Molly handled it pretty good but I know I didn't get enough to help her.

Does anyone have some help in letting me know just where to stick the needle in to be able to help her.

Sad to say I can really feel her breastbone.

 

[Suep666]

Well, I got a needle and syringe, I tried to drain some fluid. I did get some out, it was a yellowish color. I had a hard time getting the little bit out so I took the needle out and tried about an inch away and got like a yellowish blood mix, not sure what I did wrong so I stopped.
I'm not sure exactly where to stick the needle, I know I didn't stick it in too far, but I don't really know what I am doing. I have read a lot but where exactly to stick the needle in is hard to know.
Molly handled it pretty good but I know I didn't get enough to help her.

Does anyone have some help in letting me know just where to stick the needle in to be able to help her.

Sad to say I can really feel her breastbone.

hi there... how did you get on.. I have a feeling we have a girl with the same problem.. a little bit waddley and pigeon toed.. quite a big belly like a water balloon...
weird time at the moment so vet visits are difficult
And expensive...
any suggestions on the best course of action

thanks
Sue