Hen from previous post maynot be eggbound. help pictures

[sweetpeasmom]

I have hen that I orginally thought may be eggbound. I am not so sure that is the problem. I am going to try to post pictures of her to see if anyone has any suggestions. I have warm bathed her for 3 days today will make 4. She was eating fine until today. She doesn't seem to want to eat today. She can stand up but she would rather lay down. Please any suggestions, before I have my husband cull her.

 

[beakkeeper]

That is very odd. I don't know if it is eggbound, but here's a bump.

 

[sweetpeasmom]

Thanks for the bump bee

 

[sweetpeasmom]

Anyone please any idea what is the matter with my hen. When I give her a warm bath she really works her vent area like she is trying to get something out but nothing happens. I am really confused and worried about her.
Thanks
Courtney

 

[ruth]

Does the bag feel soft and squishy like a water balloon? Or can you feel an egg in there? Have you had her isolated long enough to know when she last laid an egg?

Reason I'm asking is because I have a hen who gets like that every three months of so - she suffers from Ascites (filling with water) and her backend becomes a big water balloon but she still lays eggs. So I use a large syringe with a small needle and literally drain the water out of her every couple of months or so. It comes out absolutely crystal clear and looks like drinking water it's so clear. After a few pokes she starts to drain on her own, leaking from the needle holes. She will drain out about a cup of water. Then she's o.k. for another three months or so, lays eggs, free ranges, perfectly healthy in all other respects. This has been going on for several months.

It wouldn't hurt to try and drain out a needle full of whatever you can just to see if it's clear water or yolky looking. If it's discolored, thick and/or yolky looking it could be that she's an interal layer and I'm afraid there's no treatment for that short of hysterectomy.

Good luck

 

[sweetpeasmom]

Thanks Ruth, I will get a needle and try that tomorrow. It would be worth a shot. I don't know when she last laid an egg. I have had her isolated for a week now and no egg. Her eyes are clear, she is eating and drinking. She can stand but I think that it is very uncomfortable so she lays down on her side. One leg does seem to be a little weak. I noticed this evening that her legs were very scaley so I rubbed them down with vasoline.
Thanks
Courtney

 

[ruth]

If she hasn't laid an egg in a week she's possibly an internal layer and the gunk that's building up inside her is yolk material. Try the syringe and see what you get out. If she were egg bound there's usually an egg at the vent trying to come out, not a bag filled with fluid as it appears in pics. When I isolated my hen and she kept laying eggs, I knew she was neither egg bound nor an internal layer so that's when I thought I would try and drain out some of whatever it was and found it was clear water. If that's all that comes out of your hen you may be able to save her. She is very uncomfortable with that amount of fluid build up and weight hanging down. Try to get her to continue eating. Maybe try some scrambled egg. Unfortunately if she's an internal layer she will become septic with the gunk inside cooking and you will have to make a painful decision.

Keep us posted - I'm pulling for her.