Hen sick off and on. Sour Crop? Internal laying???

[FiveBlind]

Hello,

I have a 3 year old red sex link who's really confusing me. She presented with lethargy and runny poop to begin with.

Separated, gave her mash feed with vitamins, put her back out. Did great for a couple weeks, then got sick again. Repeated treatment and thought maybe it was excessive calcium, as she isn't laying anymore, so fed her all flock and chick feed, took up feeders at night. Perked back up, happy as a clam.

Now suddenly she's getting sick again?? I did NOT provide vitamins the second time so that wasn't the "cure"

Symptoms that come and go
1. Runny white poop
2. Swollen "water belly"
3. Lethargy
4. Heavy breathing (I assume due to the swelling)


Her crop also feels squishy now and she "puked" some water which is why I'm wondering if her crop is actually the problem. Or is she doing something like internal laying and the crop is secondary?

It's the on and off nature of it that's really throwing me. If the food change "treated" it then why did it come back, and if it didn't, what made it go away?

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. It sounds like she may be suffering from a reproductive disorder such as salpingitis which can lead to egg yolk peritonitis. Those can lead to a swollen abdomen or water belly, and crop problems due to the pressure inside the abdomen may be secondary. She is probably laying internally. Hens will these disorders may get better and then worse. Antibiotics may or may not help. I would work on her crop problem, and this article may be helpful in treating her crop issues:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[FiveBlind]

Welcome to BYC. It sounds like she may be suffering from a reproductive disorder such as salpingitis which can lead to egg yolk peritonitis. Those can lead to a swollen abdomen or water belly, and crop problems due to the pressure inside the abdomen may be secondary. She is probably laying internally. Hens will these disorders may get better and then worse. Antibiotics may or may not help. I would work on her crop problem, and this article may be helpful in treating her crop issues:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Thank you. If it is secondary to a reproductive issue, won't it just come back?

 

[Eggcessive]

Probably. If she is having labored breathing, sometimes draining the water belly fluid might give some temporary relief, or confirm there is water belly. Unfortunately this is a common problem with egg layers. Do you have others who are doing well? It is hard to tell what exactly is going on inside of her. Many times we don’t know until a necropsy can be performed after death. I usually check the crop each morning to see if it is empty and flat before eating. Try to keep them interested in food. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin or enrofloxacin can help treat early salpingitis. Some can live for a few months to a year or two, we just cannot predict.

 

[FiveBlind]

Probably. If she is having labored breathing, sometimes draining the water belly fluid might give some temporary relief, or confirm there is water belly. Unfortunately this is a common problem with egg layers. Do you have others who are doing well? It is hard to tell what exactly is going on inside of her. Many times we don’t know until a necropsy can be performed after death. I usually check the crop each morning to see if it is empty and flat before eating. Try to keep them interested in food. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin or enrofloxacin can help treat early salpingitis. Some can live for a few months to a year or two, we just cannot predict.

Yes I have several others who are doing fine. The water belly disappears on its own and comes back but it's definitely fluid. I can feel that.

I appreciate your insights. Had to cull my other sex link in January for an unrelated problem so I'd hate to lose her too, but I'll keep this in mind and see how she does.