Hen with blue comb tips and swollen abdomen- emergency she's dying!

[HorseFeathers]

Please resopnd quickly- one of our favorite hens, Rita, has a hard, swollen abdomen and her comb is turning blue. She makes straining movements with her eyes closed, though she's eating. We haven't seen her poop yet. We gave her a warm bath and the red came back into her comb but now the tips are blue again. It hasn't been particularly cold so I don't think it's frostbite. We gave her some crushed Rolaids in yogurt because we read that would help if she's eggbound.

Please help- we think she's going to die.

 

[HorseFeathers]

Her head is also shaking and she seems weak.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Blue sounds like a lack of oxygen in the system. I wish I knew something that might help. I am so sorry for your distress--and hers.

hugs.


Rusty

 

[speckledhen]

It does sound like she is having egg issues. You can lube up with cooking oil or mineral oil and feel up in there for an egg. With a hard abdomen, she could have lots of egg material and infection built up inside and there isn't much you can do except maybe give her antibiotic injections to fight infection. Give her Tums crushed for the calcium (Rolaids is different, I think). Not sure what else to tell you. If her comb is turning blue, that isn't a good sign at all, I'm afraid. They can have these things building up for a long time before you realize it.

 

[HorseFeathers]

She does not have labored breathing but lack of oxygen sounds possible. Is there anything we can do? We don't think she's going to make it...

 

[Judy]

I'm so sorry, it does sound like she is in real trouble. I would never do this unless I thought death was imminent, but I believe I'd try another bath and a gently enema type thing (got one of those red rubber ear syringes) or a little Prep H, to see if you could get something moving, or even a gloved finger to see if you feel a stuck egg. Breaking and removing a stuck egg is a precarious procedure at best, but if you want to try something, maybe there's a chance it would help. (I assume a vet is not an option, of course.)

 

[speckledhen]

Honey, at this stage, there isn't much you can do except what we've already discussed and make her comfortable. I have a hen dying today myself.

 

[HorseFeathers]

Thank you all. We are going to try the finger thing.

 

[PeepsInc]

Sorry about your hen.Do U think pieces of apple bits would help? would it work like prunes? As a last resort I'd give her apple and coffee to drink. There both diuretics. Just a thought.

 

[HorseFeathers]

PeepsInc: Why?

My mom felt inside and some poop and yellow, infected-looking liquid came out. It is not an egg problem, but my mom says she could feel a big infected mass through the egg tract (but it is not in the egg tract).

Is there anything short of a vet emergency room that could help?

Do you think she'd be more comfortable outside in a nest box or inside with us? We want her last moments to be easy...

Thank you all for taking time to help us.