HELP SICK HEN !

[adrii]

About a day ago I noticed my hen on the ground. She could not walk or even stand up, I've also noticed a lump between her legs. Today I took her to an avian vet. He's unsure what the lump might be, but its definitely not an egg. He also ran a blood test and found no infection's. He believes it might be one of three things. Lack of calcium, a virus, or some type of perisite. I'm truly sadden and believe that it might be marek's disease. I've separated the sick hen from the rest of the flock. They are in completely different rooms, is there anything I can do to protect the flock?

 

[justplainbatty]

About a day ago I noticed my hen on the ground. She could not walk or even stand up, I've also noticed a lump between her legs. Today I took her to an avian vet. He's unsure what the lump might be, but its definitely not an egg. He also ran a blood test and found no infection's. He believes it might be one of three things. Lack of calcium, a virus, or some type of perisite. I'm truly sadden and believe that it might be marek's disease. I've separated the sick hen from the rest of the flock. They are in completely different rooms, is there anything I can do to protect the flock?

It's more likely to be ascites, cancer, internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis or if she is older, fatty liver disease.

I wish I was more help, I am currently dealing with a 6 yr old with those possibilities.

 

[dirtychick]

what did the vet say?

 

[adrii]

Also today I noticed she's been breathing through her mouth.

 

[justplainbatty]

Also today I noticed she's been breathing through her mouth.

Did the vet look inside her throat or do a fecal float test? It sounds like her abdomen is filling with something, fluid, egg yolks, tumors and it makes it hard for her to breathe. Does her belly lump feel like a big water balloon or just squishy?

 

[adrii]

Her lump is squishy, the vet looked at her lump and mentioned that it squishy and could possibly be egg yolk that caused inflammation. Or maybe food not broken down.

 

[justplainbatty]

Her lump is squishy, the vet looked at her lump and mentioned that it squishy and could possibly be egg yolk that caused inflammation. Or maybe food not broken down.

Well, undigested food would usually come out of the vent looking undigested unless here intestines have ruptured. (I think that would equal blood and death). It is most likely to be internal laying or EYP. Your vet does not specialize in birds I don't think. Here is a link for EYP https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/526089/egg-yolk-peritonitis Here is one on egg laying problems in general http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/ I'll try looking for something good on ascites.

Here it is http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...s_of_poultry/ascites_syndrome_in_poultry.html

 

[adrii]

Thank you soo much ! So far the vet has given me calcium fluids. But the only thing now i can do is wait and pray, I hope this little girl can pull through. I'll keep you updated

 

[justplainbatty]

Thank you soo much ! So far the vet has given me calcium fluids. But the only thing now i can do is wait and pray, I hope this little girl can pull through. I'll keep you updated

Sounds good.

Will check on you later. BTW, how old is the hen? What breed? How long out of lay?

 

[adrii]

She's almost a year old, bantam, probably 2 or 3 months.