hen dead, extrememly bloated

[frankenchick]

I went out to close the coop this evening and was one hen short. I found my Bianca (3y/o NH) dead in the sunroom (old truck topper). She had a bluish comb and was extremely bloated -- so much so that I had to struggle to get both legs in one hand. I palpated her abdomen and it was not hard; it felt more like a really full water balloon.

I have her on ice for the weekend; I'll try to get her to (which agency??) on Monday. Until then, I'm worried about my other chickens. Does this sound like something horrible and contagious?

 

[justbugged]

Try find your states agriculture office. They would be the ones to do a necropsy. What is the heat like where your at?

 

[justbugged]

and sorry for your loss.

 

[lorieMN]

I wouldnt spend the money on sending her anywhere..chickens die and many times it looks like no reason at all..in this heat they bloat fast..I say save your money for now and dont worry about it unless a bunch start kicking off..

 

[speckledhen]

I have drained buckets of infection/fluid from hens' abdomens who are dying from egg peritonitis and internal laying. That bloated abdomen is very common. Feel the keel bone--you may find she was very thin.

 

[frankenchick]

Thanks, all. Speckledhen, where is the keel? Will she harden up too much overnight for me to check this tomorrow? I'd check tonight, but DH is making noises about the lateness of the hour.

I did look up ascites. The info was about humans, but I got a general idea.

 

[speckledhen]

You can put her in the fridge then open her up tomorrow, but the keel is the breast bone. It shouldn't be sharp with no breast meat on either side. Most with egg peritonitis and internal laying have huge abdomens, but are skin and bones, really.

 

[frankenchick]

Thanks again. I'm going to check everyone; this can't be too far spread because someone's eating the food I put out.

Uh oh. I just remembered that laying has dropped off. I thought it was because 1) I have a girl that's setting or 2) it's been quite warm and muggy lately, but maybe something else is going on. Well, we'll see . . .

 

[cheeps]

If it's as hot where you are as it is here (90-100+), the bloating was probably caused by the heat. It happens pretty quick when its so hot out. We had a stray cat that died the other morning, I left it for DH to deal with, and by the afternoon...eww. In my defense though, I have a broken arm so I couldn't dig a hole!!

Mainly I wanted to say too that I wouldn't stress too much yet with the laying dropping off. I've found my girls find it too hot in the house, so they just don't lay. I've got a broody too in there causing problems. In fact I started letting them free range since I'm out of work due to an injury, and now they're laying eggs everywhere. DH says the laying has dropped off, I say we just can't find the eggs!

 

[frankenchick]

Well, I've called everyone I can think of/find in the phone book and I keep getting passed along to someone else. This finally stopped when I got to a guy who's out of his office until Sept. The dead hen has been in the ice chest since Sat. and temps are supposed to be in the low 90s tomorrow, so I'm just going to put her in the trash and hope for the best for the rest of the girls.

I've lost 9 hens over the last 3 years, and this is the first I've not been able to explain (dog attack, hawk attack, etc). It's weirding me out a little.