Hen breathing hard, no wheezing (poop picture added)

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hello arrowti,

Good, you started the antibiotic. I always alternate from the left breast to the right, each day to avoid creating painful injection sites. Many keepers have great results with Tylan 50. Don't forget to give a course of probiotics when the antibiotic treatment is finished.

Many times when a chicken becomes weakened by one thing, another illness will also be active. This is common with viral and heavy parasite presence. So, a comprehensive plan to treat symptoms, will work best.

I always administer a vitamin with iron in it, when there has been injury, or when I see blood tinge in the poop.The Pet-Tinic is another one of those products, that can be used for other animals, too.

Scrambled duck eggs, how scrumptious is that! Yup, I up the protein during illness for extra energy and strength, too.

When she heals, you'll have to be vigilant for secondary infection that can pop up.

Sounds like you are doing a great job with your hen!

Keep me updated.

God Bless

 

[arrowti]

She's been doing good today, chowing down like a little piggy (I swear she eats more than our pig eats!) and pooping normally. I haven't seen anymore bloody poop aside from that first one I noticed. I haven't gotten any shipping confirmation from the company yet (they said it could be a few days before it would get shipped) so hopefully it'll be here by next week.

I'll keep an eye on the Pet-Tinic. In the meantime I'm thinking of adding beef liver to her diet (we have a lot in the freezer that we don't eat... I tried it a few times and couldn't find a recipe I liked) as that can add good amounts of iron to her diet.


--- unrelated hen --
Sadly our RLR with ascites has reached a level that makes the others go after her (she can no longer get inside the coop because she can't raise her legs high enough to get to the step, and she can't jump either, sadly) so I had to find a separate place for her to sleep peacefully tonight. She's still active and alert, and I'll keep an eye on her. She's lasted a long time with ascites, and it's something we've experienced a lot with the feed store birds we've ordered (switching to breeder quality stock this year..)

Now I have to think of a way to have them both in a separate enclosure through the day for exercise and sunlight without them attacking one another. Hm.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

So great to hear she is on the mend!

Yes, beef liver is good for her iron. Cook it in water, just a dash of salt, cool, then dice up for feeding.

Ascites can be treated with Aspirin therapy. It has healed two of my chickens.

I have to go out for a bit, but, I'll send you the therapy routine I use.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

I almost euthanized two hens because of ascites, but, my daughter had stopped by for a visit. She was saddened to see the state of my older hen, since she was always the most beautiful, and my alpha hen. She asked me not to put her down, to try again. So I prayed on it, and I feel the good Lord heard me. In the morning, I had an idea of what I wanted to do. But, I needed to research and verify, dosages, interactions and effectiveness. And that's how I came up with these formulas. However, you may want to add to them, or alter the recipe, so to speak. If you want to read the research article, let me know.

Aspirin Therapy:

Makes one dose - 1.25 mL, use oral syringe.

40 mg. low dose Aspirin, not coated (this is half of an 80 mg., low dose tablet, use a pill splitter for accuracy)

A dash of Instant Clear Jel Powder (the amount of this thickener is immeasurable, so you'll have to work with it. Other thickeners may be used.)

1/4 tsp. hot water

1/8 tsp. Agave Nectar or other sweet syrup

Crush the aspirin in a shot glass, then, add a dash of instant gel powder (a thickener), 1/8 tsp. agave nectar or any sweet syrup, stir in 1/8 tsp warm water. Draw into an oral syringe, and administer.


Standard sized chickens - administer Aspirin 40 mg.
Bantams - cut each pill into fourths. As, the dose for a bantam will be 20 mg.

For Ascite therapy: dose every 12 hours, four days in a row. Stop one day. Then, resume for a second course.

By day four, my hen's ascites had reduced about 50%, by day 6, 75% reduced, and by the day 8, no ascite swelling. Just sagging skin. LOL!

I make a thickened solution, to prevent aspiration when administering it to the hen.

But, you can just give the piece of aspirin, if the chicken won't throw it out. Make sure the chicken eats food, and drinks water with the aspirin. Aspirin needs a buffer to protect the intestines. Or, you can also follow with a little piece of Tums as a buffer, if the chicken isn't eating.

Aspirin is a very strong medication and effective at relieving pain and as ascite therapy. So, use responsibly, more is not better.

Do not use if the bird has any bleeding injury, or if the bird is taking other medications, including worming medications.

Note: Feeding fresh greens like kale and chard, will supply vitamin K1, to protect against any possible bleeding from accidental cuts or pecks, during therapy.

* * * * * *


ALOE VERA DETOX 80

(For supporting & healing the liver and kidneys, healing the intestines, stimulating appetite, removing toxins during healing)

Once the liver and kidneys are damaged, toxins will start to build, low appetite, yellow urates, lethargy, and many times ascites will be evident.

Recipe:

3/4 tsp. Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera 80, Detoxifying Formula

1/8 tsp. Agave Nectar

Dash of Instant Clear Jel Powder (add enough to thicken)

Warm Aloe Vera in shot glass, add Clear Jel powder, stir to thicken. Next, add Agave Nectar to sweeten.

Administer 1 to 1.5 mL, 2 or three times per day. More if you feel it is needed.

This is such a nourishing, healing and soothing treatment. Even Avian vets are now keeping this formulation of Aloe Vera in stock, to treat parrots and macaws. Along with Milk Thistle, there are other healing and supporting herbs in this formula. So don't use plain Aloe Vera, as, it doesn't have this level of healing. Keep refrigerated, it can be put in your flock's water, when they have loose stools or diarrhea.

I have had great success with just these two formulas. I can't guarantee they'll work for your hens, but it's worth a try. Ascites is a symptom that is caused by many different things. Inflammation is thought to be the main cause, so if you can reduce or eliminate the inflammation in the body, the ascites should reduce.


God Bless

 

[arrowti]

I had no idea aspirin could be used to help treat ascites... I always assumed it was a fatal condition from what I've read. I'll pick up some aspirin tablets at the store tomorrow (all I have is aleve, which happens to be the only painkiller that works for me), and try to start her on it.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings arrowti,

I think because ascite fluid is the body's response to inflammation, and there are many conditions that can cause inflammation, it's just assumed too difficult to treat. But, I was surprised to find this research article on the aspirin therapy myself.

I have been on a mission, to find something that would stop the ascites from building. Ever since my favorite hen, "Filamena", became ill with ascites, over a year ago.

Sadly, I had to euthanize her this last February, due to ascites caused by an obstruction in her oviduct. Surgery was an option, but, she had been through enough. She had gone into a remission of the ascites, twice during that year. The last six months of her life were spent with the flock, just full of joy, running and flapping her wings, just doing all the things chickens love to do. She had a good life here, all her needs were met during her illness. She was my precious black beauty.

Then, in early April, I found the research article and put together the treatment plan. The article did not disclose dosages, duration or delivery procedures for the aspirin therapy. I just feel the good Lord guided me, as I was so worried about my two hens who were now ill with ascite build up. One was so bad she could barely walk, could no longer perch and had stopped eating. The other, was older and was just recovering from congested lungs, due to Infectious Bronchitis, her swelling was not as bad.

One month after aspirin therapy, they are still doing great, back to foraging, running, eating and dust bathing. However, neither hen has laid an egg for almost three months now. The Infectious Bronchitis, which started to run through the flock in February, most likely damaged their reproductive system. It's too early to tell how long they will be free from ascites. But, there is always hope, that they will have a good chicken life, even if they never lay again.

God Bless and peace to you.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

I had no idea aspirin could be used to help treat ascites... I always assumed it was a fatal condition from what I've read. I'll pick up some aspirin tablets at the store tomorrow (all I have is aleve, which happens to be the only painkiller that works for me), and try to start her on it.

Naproxen Sodium (Alieve) is toxic to birds. Aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, totally different chemical make up. Native americans used the bark from the White Willow for pain and healing, as well as, other things. It was the precursor to modern aspirin. Even the Egyptians used Willow for healing. I guess we have a lot to re-learn...huh?

 

[arrowti]

That's pretty cool, hopefully it will help her. I'm not sure if it 'will' help her, however, she has an awfully hard time walking this morning, her legs barely able to take her weight. She's still alert, though, so hopefully there's time.

Buckeye hen seems a little worse for wear this morning, but I'm hoping as it warms up she'll perk up a bit.

Will update after work!

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

My light sussex, was the same way. I almost euthanized her. She was so swollen, it was terrible.

But, with daily soaks in warm Epsom Salt baths, and the Aspirin twice a day, I could hardly believe it. Everyday she was a little less swollen. I even had to have my daughter look at her, and feel her belly. I thought I was just being so hopeful, that I was imagining the swelling going down.

But, here she is today!
That's Winter (White) and Taji (Black). Both had ascites, Winter's being worse.

Taji's illness was the most severe. Here she is just two weeks ago (with Henrietta, comfort toy). She was so ill, I had to bring her in the house during the day, to hand feed and care for her. The cats also came to visit her.

Hope is a wonderful thing, it keeps us working to the end. Without it, we just become apathetic.

God Bless

 

[arrowti]

Good news! Both chickens look much, MUCH better than they did this morning. Ascites hen is walking better, so I'm wondering if she literally laid in one spot overnight and her legs got stiff. I ended up putting the buckeye in with the RLR in the turkey run (unused) for the day because I didn't want them both bunched up in a little tote and they got along fine. I was more worried about the RLR going after the buckeye than the other way around.

I bought a bottle of 81 mg aspirin after work, and we already had a pill cutter. I gave her her first dose today. I wanted to see if she'd take it in pill form first, and ended up basically placing the pill inside her mouth on her tongue (she was clucking angrily because I was touching her), and let her go. She wandered off and swallowed it.