Hen with hot swollen abdomen, not prolapsed, not egg bound

[Heather Sosa]

Hen with hot swollen abdomen, not prolapsed, not egg bound. Doesn’t appear to be ascites or if so it’s not a lot of fluid buildup for the struggles she’s having. Not walking at all when I found her. Couldn’t stand up and was very cold as she’d hid the night before instead of going into the coop during a few hours of a freezing 32 degree temps for a few hours. Or because she couldn’t. heavy breathing almost a distressed breathing. Gave Epsom salt bath. When I attempted to check if she’s egg bound it would release some gas and then some poop. This has been going on for 4 days now. I’ve done epsom salt bathes several times, used preparation H starting last night to see if it would help reduce some swelling. She will drink and wants to drink a lot but stops after about a dropper full and tenses up and throws her wings up and out. I’ve helped her release some of her bowels several times when she appears to need it and mostly it was a stringy dark emerald green very loose stool. Then once it was a yellow pasty type, still very loose. Then a couple of times it was almost a bright green liquid. Now it’s a yellow mostly fluid. She can’t lay on left side without panicking and being in pain so I have her propped up and on her right side. Any suggestions or advice welcomed.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your hen. How old is she?

Is vet care an option?

Just for clarification, she's not pooping on her own, you're having to help her with that correct?
Having a hot swollen abdomen sounds like some type of infection. Do you have any antibiotics on hand?
Do you see any bruising like purple or green on the abdomen?

 

[Heather Sosa]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your hen. How old is she?

Is vet care an option?

Just for clarification, she's not pooping on her own, you're having to help her with that correct?
Having a hot swollen abdomen sounds like some type of infection. Do you have any antibiotics on hand?
Do you see any bruising like purple or green on the abdomen?

She's about 2 years old and is a cinnamon queen. I purchased 12 from a friend who had bought them from a chicken egg farm. They clipped their beaks and pumped eggs out for however long and then sold them from what I understand. She is just barely going on her own. I do have penicillin but am unsure if that would be good to use for an internal infection. I'd read it was only good for sinusitis and chronic respiratory disease. Vet care isn't an option. There's not any bruising that I can see.

 

[Heather Sosa]

She was also previously laying very large odd shaped and textured eggs before this happened and has since quit laying. There was a lash egg laid at some point in the last month and now I'm thinking it was hers. I've given her coconut oil, and also colloidal silver orally and also around and some in vent. Is there some type of system flush or something that could help. Also I got probiotic water to start her on. Is penicillin something that could help here?

 

[PopoMyers]

Epsom salt in water, given orally is one way to flush. Has she ever been wormed?

 

[Heather Sosa]

Epsom salt in water, given orally is one way to flush. Has she ever been wormed?

Not since I've had her, but that's only been 4 months that I've had her. What should I use to deworm her? Currently I'm giving her the chicks magic water. Both ACV and garlic are supposed to help but I imagine it won't cure this infection. I don't know if I'm overwhelming her system is my other concern. This has been really hard. My thoughts on getting them initially was this being a resting place for them to live out their years left in peace. They were in pretty bad shape and all of their combs were pale and floppy. I've already lost a few of them since I got them. Several of them I've been able to nurse back to health, but some were too far gone. I've dealt with numerous bumble foots, scaly leg mites, respiratory issues, coccidiosis, the list goes on. Breaks my heart that I haven't been able to help them all. What has happened is I have learned alot the hard way. I appreciate everyone's input here.

 

[PopoMyers]

Albendazole, or Valbazen is a broad spectrum wormer. Fenbendazole is used on goats, and for chickens too.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She was also previously laying very large odd shaped and textured eggs before this happened and has since quit laying. There was a lash egg laid at some point in the last month and now I'm thinking it was hers.

Salpingitis (Lash Egg) would be mostly likely the cause of the hot swollen abdomen.

I don't think Penicillin would be effective in treating the infection, but if that's what you have you can give it a try.
Amoxicillin would be better or even Enrofloxacin. Antibiotics will not cure hens that have Salpingitis, the medication is part of supportive care and comfort.

There's no system flush that I know of that will help with Salpingitis.

If she's in very bad shape, it may be time to consider putting her out of her misery. Getting a necropsy through your state lab or even doing your own informal one to find out what was causing the swelling in the abdomen is always a good idea.

 

[greenback]

does she have trouble standing//is unsteady on her feet?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Heather Sosa it's been almost 2months since your last post, can you give an update on how your hen is doing?