Hen with suspected peritonitis can't walk or stand - help!

[TJ1000]

Hi, I've got an almost 3yr old hen (layer, rescue hen) with suspected egg yolk peritonitis. Classic symptoms, she's had yellow-coloured poop, penguin-like stance with her tail down and she's definitely not egg-bound. She stopped eating and drinking for the first couple of days. She's been sick for around 5 days. Vet thinks she has EYP (but doesn't think it's too serious) and has given antibiotics. She's recently started eating again having lost her appetite when it started, and she's drinking lots. Her comb/wattle are nice and bright red. However, in the last couple of days she hasn't been able to walk or stand, which wasn't the case when she first got ill. She's very unstable on her feet and keeps tripping up and ends up sitting down the whole day. It's almost like both her legs are broken but there is definitely no injury. Should I be concerned? Is this a sign of her deteriorating?

 

[azygous]

It may indicate a more serious underlying condition such as cancer tumors. These tumors can affect the joints and ligaments and even the brain, causing paralysis. The cancer can also appear in the reproductive organs resulting in ovulation and the yolks it produces going all wrong, collecting in the oviduct or even the abdominal cavity. This sets up conditions for bacteria to grow into a reproductive infection. (EYP)

If this is caused by an avian virus, as these tumors are likely to be, it can have consequences for your entire flock. If the hen dies, it would be wise to get a necropsy to discover what's really going on in this hen.

 

[TJ1000]

It may indicate a more serious underlying condition such as cancer tumors. These tumors can affect the joints and ligaments and even the brain, causing paralysis. The cancer can also appear in the reproductive organs resulting in ovulation and the yolks it produces going all wrong, collecting in the oviduct or even the abdominal cavity. This sets up conditions for bacteria to grow into a reproductive infection. (EYP)

If this is caused by an avian virus, as these tumors are likely to be, it can have consequences for your entire flock. If the hen dies, it would be wise to get a necropsy to discover what's really going on in this hen.

Thanks, sounds like's very possible. She's had no symptoms/signs of illness before the EYP but could very likely be cancer of the reproductive system or something like that. Is there anything we should do? We don't know whether she'll survive but we're not too hopeful at this stage.

 

[LaFleche]

I am sorry to say that there is no cure for this severe condition and the best you can do is end her suffering.

 

[azygous]

Recently, I had a pullet with a slew of symptoms that went from bad to worse very quickly. I formed a plan to take her to my nearest state lab for a necropsy and waited until I was sure she was in solid decline with no hope of recovery. The lab was a three hour round trip drive, and I fixed a box with fluffy towels in it and sandwiched my still living, but doomed, pullet between the soft towels. I closed the box, but with ample air circulation, giving her the security and calm of darkness during the trip.

The lab tech was expecting us, and he came out to the car and gently took the pullet, still clinging to life, from me. He assured me he would be gentle and that he would end it for her quickly and mercifully. This gave us the advantage of him seeing her outward symptoms prior to cutting into her after she was euthanized. It also assured she would present as fresh a specimen as possible so any decomposition bacteria wouldn't be competing with pathology tests.

When and if your hen declines to the point of no return, this is what I suggest you also do. It will relieve you of the stressful task of euthanizing her, and the necropsy will give you very important answers.

In my case, the answers had very serious consequences for the rest of my flock. Knowing what I'm dealing with is very helpful in caring for my living chickens.

 

[TJ1000]

I am sorry to say that there is no cure for this severe condition and the best you can do is end her suffering.

It's okay, thank you. I'm going to monitor her over the next few days and if she deteriorates then we will put her to sleep.

 

[TJ1000]

Recently, I had a pullet with a slew of symptoms that went from bad to worse very quickly. I formed a plan to take her to my nearest state lab for a necropsy and waited until I was sure she was in solid decline with no hope of recovery. The lab was a three hour round trip drive, and I fixed a box with fluffy towels in it and sandwiched my still living, but doomed, pullet between the soft towels. I closed the box, but with ample air circulation, giving her the security and calm of darkness during the trip.

The lab tech was expecting us, and he came out to the car and gently took the pullet, still clinging to life, from me. He assured me he would be gentle and that he would end it for her quickly and mercifully. This gave us the advantage of him seeing her outward symptoms prior to cutting into her after she was euthanized. It also assured she would present as fresh a specimen as possible so any decomposition bacteria wouldn't be competing with pathology tests.

When and if your hen declines to the point of no return, this is what I suggest you also do. It will relieve you of the stressful task of euthanizing her, and the necropsy will give you very important answers.

In my case, the answers had very serious consequences for the rest of my flock. Knowing what I'm dealing with is very helpful in caring for my living chickens.

Thank you so much for all of your advice. We're monitoring her symptoms and how she's feeling and of course at the first sign of any distress we will take her in for euthanasia.

Sorry to hear about your pullet - a necropsy sounds like a good idea indeed, as it would flag up any concerns about the rest of the flock, though here in the UK, near me especially, I don't really think anyone would do a necropsy on a chicken and I certainly wouldn't do it myself. Though absolutely, it sounds like a good idea if I can find someone that will do it.

 

[azygous]

Most universities have science and agricultural departments. Contact them and ask if their labs would provide this service or if their science students would take this on in a limited fashion.

Your local veterinarian might know where to get a necropsy on poultry, and might even be willing to do it. There are pretty obvious markers for both Marek's and leucosis viruses. Marek's more often than not has an enlarged sciatic nerve that points straight to Marek's. There is also often tumors on the legs, and other organs.

Avian leucosis is very obvious by enlarged kidneys and liver, and white spotty tumors on the heart and other organs. Often this virus produces a white "bean soup" of tiny tumors floating in abdominal fluids. Even a chicken keeper is capable of noticing most of these things doing an amateur necropsy at home.

The only thing not possible is tissue pathology slides studied under a microscope for presence of bacteria, but even a first year science student could do bacterial gram stain tests.

There are always alternatives to the standard way of doing things if you start asking.

 

[TJ1000]

Most universities have science and agricultural departments. Contact them and ask if their labs would provide this service or if their science students would take this on in a limited fashion.

Your local veterinarian might know where to get a necropsy on poultry, and might even be willing to do it. There are pretty obvious markers for both Marek's and leucosis viruses. Marek's more often than not has an enlarged sciatic nerve that points straight to Marek's. There is also often tumors on the legs, and other organs.

Avian leucosis is very obvious by enlarged kidneys and liver, and white spotty tumors on the heart and other organs. Often this virus produces a white "bean soup" of tiny tumors floating in abdominal fluids. Even a chicken keeper is capable of noticing most of these things doing an amateur necropsy at home.

The only thing not possible is tissue pathology slides studied under a microscope for presence of bacteria, but even a first year science student could do bacterial gram stain tests.

There are always alternatives to the standard way of doing things if you start asking.

Okay, yes definitely it's worth asking around if anyone could do the necropsy and seems like there's lots of options available for various tests. Interesting about avian leucosis, I'd never really thought about it although it did come up when I initially searched up her symptoms.
She was vaccinated for Marek's, as with the rest of our flock, but I wonder if the vaccine is 100% effective or not.
Seems like there could be many reasons as to what could be causing this illness - I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Fingers crossed she pulls through, but at this point I think she will probably die. She's got a 2 week course of antibiotics and I think today is day 4 so still quite a lot to go (if she makes it that far).

 

[TJ1000]

Update on this one - we managed to treat her EYP successfully with the antibiotics but she's still paralysed. We thought it was vitamin deficiency so we tried everything in terms of vitamins, fortified drinks etc. but she's just getting weaker to the point that she's completely lost all balance. We've decided to put her down as she's very weak and it's probably best for her that we end her suffering.
Thanks guys for all your advice on here.