Hen with hard, swollen abdomen; fever; pale comb, etc.

[SoMuch2Learn]

Hello,

I have a two year old BO hen whose name is Shadow. She has been sick for several weeks and I am wondering if anyone recognizes these symptoms so we can help her. One thing about Shadow is that she is VERY people oriented. When we got our chicks a couple of years ago we started with them in the house, but then moved them into the garage. Whenever we went into the garage to check on them, Shadow would run to the edge where we were and start jumping up and down until we picked her up. She has always been content to be with us, so I am not surprised that she is fine living in a box inside for now, and does not try to jump out. Ok, having said that...Here's the rundown of the last month. (Summaries are in bold.)

4 weeks ago she was sitting in the nest boxes quite a bit. We thought she was hiding because the other chickens were pecking at her comb and making it bleed. Her abdomen was somewhat swollen, and it seemed that she didn't have the strength to walk very well. We gave her some food in the nest box and made sure she got water, and within a few days she was walking around and seemed to be on the mend. Her abdomen remained swollen, but she seemed normal otherwise. (Swollen and hard abdomen, not much strength to walk, comb being pecked by other hens.)

3 1/2 weeks ago I found her in the coop laying on her side and I thought she was dead. But as soon as she heard my voice she started talking to me, so I picked her up and brought her inside. She was quite hungry and thirsty. She was unable to stand initially. She drank much water and ate cottage cheese and bananas like crazy. Her poo was very watery. Her temperature was 108 (I read that 103 is normal for a hen). Her comb, wattle, and the skin around her eyes were (and still are) very pale. She was quite sleepy. Over the next couple of days she improved. However, her poo was still watery. I talked to someone at the local co-op, and she guessed we were dealing with coccidiosis. We picked up some Corid and started her on it. She seemed to improve, still eating and drinking quite a bit, and her poo became more normal looking and green. She was awake more and interacting with us. Again, it looked like she was on the mend. (Very listless so moved inside house, temp of 108, watery poo, sleepy, eating and drinking very well. Put olive oil in her vent in case she was egg-bound. Crop, eyes, nose, and mouth all normal. No respiratory noise audible. Abdomen swollen and hard. Started improving with Corid.)

3 weeks ago she became quieter, sleepier, and less interactive. She still had a fever of 106-107. I thought perhaps we were getting on top of the coccidiosis, but that she had an infection internally that was not being treated. I talked to the lady at the co-op again, and she recommended giving her Penicillin (for injection, but to give it orally 2-3 times a day). I have been doing that now for three weeks. I know it is a long time, but as she still has a fever and seems to be holding her own, so I feel that she may be getting benefit from it. When she finished the Corid treatment, I started adding electrolytes and probiotics to her water. She is very thirsty and goes through quite a bit of water each day. Before the Corid treatment was over, her poo was mostly water again with just a few small green poos each day. As to her appetite, she quit eating cottage cheese and bananas, but is now eating layer feed and scratch.In the meantime, Shadow had still been inside. She interacts well, but is starting to act sleepier again. She does not seem uncomfortable unless we touch her abdomen. She "talks" and "purrs" readily. I sat her in a nice warm sink of water yesterday. She was very content sitting there and drinking her bathwater. She is very thirsty, indeed. Something interesting is that sometimes when I pick her up and tip her forward even a little bit, all the fluid runs right back out of her mouth. Wondering if something is blocking the crop from emptying quickly or if she just overfilled it with her drinking. (Declined again, temp 106-107, sleepier. Poo back to being mostly water. Started on penicillin, improved and holding her own. Still has hard, swollen abdomen; watery poo; pale comb; is very thirsty; eats enough but not as much as before; fluid runs out of mouth if she is tipped forward; seems more clumsy now when she tries to walk; still "talking" and "purring"; temp 106. She has not laid an egg in at least a month. Have tried to check inside vent, but only accessible for 1/2 to 1 inch. Comb has healed from the pecking, but remains pale. She is not growing any new feathers on her bald rump. Protruding keel, not much breast muscle.)

I hope I have made this somewhat clear... clear as mud, right?

I have thought perhaps she has peritonitis, but her abdomen is not like a water balloon. It is enlarged certainly, but it is hard..

I thought perhaps she had some internal infection due to weakened immune system from stress of being pecked and not getting proper nutrition and water... But the penicillin hasn't cured the swollen abdomen and she still has a fever.

I wonder about being egg-bound, but not sure that the abdomen would be so hard in that case.

She seems to have some of the symptoms of lymphoid leukosis...

There is so much to learn about chickens! She is such a sweet chicken, and I'd love to be able to help her, but am running out of ideas of what we can do different.

Thanks for any help you can give!

 

[chooks4life]

My guess is it's probably either a foreign object or matted fibers blocking her gizzard or crop or even both, or peritonitis, or leukosis. No reason it can't be a combination, too. :/

With the spells of feeling better, then worse, then better, then worse, and the specific dietary choices, and the loss of weight, leukosis is pretty likely. I had some Orps die of that. Not much you can do except try to assist her, and if she dies, get an autopsy so you know for sure why. If you do the autopsy yourself you will see, it's not something you can miss.

Changing dietary preferences is normal for any animal suffering disease though. She sounds like she's selecting for calcium and potassium which would help with pain etc. One of my hens who had peritonitis always had a hard, bloated abdomen, but went back to laying normally and lived for years. I gave her extra amounts of fresh raw garlic as it's a natural antibiotic which doesn't harm them. Normally I give them all fresh raw garlic anyway.

With her hanging out around the shed, and being so tame, consumption of inedible objects is pretty likely. If you haven't tried to flush her with olive oil or similar it might be a good idea.

I tried many things with my leukosis family line of chooks and only ever managed to prolong their suffering. I will try again in future because there must be something that works, but I'm seeking information in the meantime and culled it out of my flock a while back.

Best wishes.

 

[ten chicks]

First temp of 107 degrees is normal temp for an adult chicken,103 is normal for young birds. Have you looked at crop issues such as sour crop asking b/c of the fluid that is leaking from mouth when tipped over,or even impacted crop? Does her crop ever fill during day and empty overnight? Any discharge from vent area? Could you feel anything when you did a cloacal exam?

 

[KellyChicken]

Hello,

I have a two year old BO hen whose name is Shadow. She has been sick for several weeks and I am wondering if anyone recognizes these symptoms so we can help her. One thing about Shadow is that she is VERY people oriented. When we got our chicks a couple of years ago we started with them in the house, but then moved them into the garage. Whenever we went into the garage to check on them, Shadow would run to the edge where we were and start jumping up and down until we picked her up. She has always been content to be with us, so I am not surprised that she is fine living in a box inside for now, and does not try to jump out. Ok, having said that...Here's the rundown of the last month. (Summaries are in bold.)

4 weeks ago she was sitting in the nest boxes quite a bit. We thought she was hiding because the other chickens were pecking at her comb and making it bleed. Her abdomen was somewhat swollen, and it seemed that she didn't have the strength to walk very well. We gave her some food in the nest box and made sure she got water, and within a few days she was walking around and seemed to be on the mend. Her abdomen remained swollen, but she seemed normal otherwise. (Swollen and hard abdomen, not much strength to walk, comb being pecked by other hens.)

3 1/2 weeks ago I found her in the coop laying on her side and I thought she was dead. But as soon as she heard my voice she started talking to me, so I picked her up and brought her inside. She was quite hungry and thirsty. She was unable to stand initially. She drank much water and ate cottage cheese and bananas like crazy. Her poo was very watery. Her temperature was 108 (I read that 103 is normal for a hen). Her comb, wattle, and the skin around her eyes were (and still are) very pale. She was quite sleepy. Over the next couple of days she improved. However, her poo was still watery. I talked to someone at the local co-op, and she guessed we were dealing with coccidiosis. We picked up some Corid and started her on it. She seemed to improve, still eating and drinking quite a bit, and her poo became more normal looking and green. She was awake more and interacting with us. Again, it looked like she was on the mend. (Very listless so moved inside house, temp of 108, watery poo, sleepy, eating and drinking very well. Put olive oil in her vent in case she was egg-bound. Crop, eyes, nose, and mouth all normal. No respiratory noise audible. Abdomen swollen and hard. Started improving with Corid.)

3 weeks ago she became quieter, sleepier, and less interactive. She still had a fever of 106-107. I thought perhaps we were getting on top of the coccidiosis, but that she had an infection internally that was not being treated. I talked to the lady at the co-op again, and she recommended giving her Penicillin (for injection, but to give it orally 2-3 times a day). I have been doing that now for three weeks. I know it is a long time, but as she still has a fever and seems to be holding her own, so I feel that she may be getting benefit from it. When she finished the Corid treatment, I started adding electrolytes and probiotics to her water. She is very thirsty and goes through quite a bit of water each day. Before the Corid treatment was over, her poo was mostly water again with just a few small green poos each day. As to her appetite, she quit eating cottage cheese and bananas, but is now eating layer feed and scratch.In the meantime, Shadow had still been inside. She interacts well, but is starting to act sleepier again. She does not seem uncomfortable unless we touch her abdomen. She "talks" and "purrs" readily. I sat her in a nice warm sink of water yesterday. She was very content sitting there and drinking her bathwater. She is very thirsty, indeed. Something interesting is that sometimes when I pick her up and tip her forward even a little bit, all the fluid runs right back out of her mouth. Wondering if something is blocking the crop from emptying quickly or if she just overfilled it with her drinking. (Declined again, temp 106-107, sleepier. Poo back to being mostly water. Started on penicillin, improved and holding her own. Still has hard, swollen abdomen; watery poo; pale comb; is very thirsty; eats enough but not as much as before; fluid runs out of mouth if she is tipped forward; seems more clumsy now when she tries to walk; still "talking" and "purring"; temp 106. She has not laid an egg in at least a month. Have tried to check inside vent, but only accessible for 1/2 to 1 inch. Comb has healed from the pecking, but remains pale. She is not growing any new feathers on her bald rump. Protruding keel, not much breast muscle.)

I hope I have made this somewhat clear... clear as mud, right?

I have thought perhaps she has peritonitis, but her abdomen is not like a water balloon. It is enlarged certainly, but it is hard..

I thought perhaps she had some internal infection due to weakened immune system from stress of being pecked and not getting proper nutrition and water... But the penicillin hasn't cured the swollen abdomen and she still has a fever.

I wonder about being egg-bound, but not sure that the abdomen would be so hard in that case.

She seems to have some of the symptoms of lymphoid leukosis...

There is so much to learn about chickens! She is such a sweet chicken, and I'd love to be able to help her, but am running out of ideas of what we can do different.

Thanks for any help you can give!

Hi-
I’m having the same problem with my almost 3 year old RIR. Hard abdomen (feels like a ball is in her belly), pale comb, lethargic, watery feces, barely eating or drinking, etc. I, too, started her on Corid. She’s on her second round of Corid now. I’ve segregated her from the flock because they were attacking her. Sometimes I’ll find her standing up and “chatting”, but other times she will just sit there with her eyes closed. I hope someone can diagnose her because I’m at a loss for what to do.
Good luck to you and I hope your girl feels better