Hen with swollen abdomen

[LucyG]

Hi everyone,
This is my first time posting on here, just wondering if anyone can help! One of my hens, Valerie, has been ill for a few days now. Shes hunched over and waddling like a penguin, and I just had a good look at her today and her abdomen is really badly swollen. A lot of posts I've already read have suggested that this might be due to an egg being stuck inside; however Val hasn't laid at all for nearly a year. She was an ex-battery hen so we weren't surprised when she stopped laying, and she seemed perfectly healthy otherwise! Also, her poop has a yellowish tinge to it and some of her bedding actually looks a bit green where she's pooed. She has a good appetite if food is placed right in front of her, but she doesn't seem willing to come out and look for it! And shes stumbled a couple of times, it seems like she finds it hard to keep her balance

Any advice would be helpful, thanks x

Lucy

 

[Judy]

I'm sorry, but I think it's likely she is an internal layer, or has a tumor.

 

[Fred's Hens]

In my experience, this seldom ends well. After some warm bathing, in a tub, if there is no relief, and it is rare that such measures have much effect, quite honestly, beyond momentary comfort, there comes a point where the suffering must stop. I had to put a hen down last month for this same situation. Diagnosing with precision isn't always possible. Is a tumor(s), internal laying, ascites, or other things? Most likely. It isn't a happy part of the flock keepers job, but sometimes, a compassionate thing that simply must be done.

 

[LucyG]

Thanks for the replies. I had a feeling there wouldn't be much we could do

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry to say she is dying. Not having laid in over a year, with those symptoms, she isn't long for this world. Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings. Could be internal laying, ovarian cancer or a combination of both. Been there many times.

 

[LucyG]

We made the decision to put her down last night as she was obviously uncomfortable and in pain

Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[speckledhen]

You're welcome. You did well, Lucy. I'm sorry there was no way to save her, but I've been in your shoes way too often and no matter what is done, it always ends the same way.

 

[scratchy]

I have a hen that suffered from exactly the same problem---Ebi had been laying all her eggs internally and had collected a baseball sized mass inside. She got to the point where she was not moving much, trying to lay and panting heavily. The avian vet performed an operation, removing the mass and giving her hormones to stop further internal laying. Ebi was almost lost during the operation. Here she is upon returning home a week later.


Ebi quickly recovered and could not wait to get scratching with the others in the garden. It has been 5 months or so since the operation and she seems ok. She still has a funny waddling walk and has a tendency to slow digestion, and has grown what appear to be small spurs on her shin.

 

[speckledhen]

The only true cure is a complete hysterectomy, which many do not survive, since, by the time the problem is diagnosed, the hen is so far down, she is too weak. It's not certainly not cheap, even if you can get a vet who knows what he's doing and will do it.

Since most people have their chickens primarily for eggs, even if they turn out to become pets, it's just not feasible or something they are willing to do. It's easier to humanely euthanize the hen since she will die anyway without that expensive surgery, and will probably die with it.

 

[scratchy]

As a follow up, Ebi lived about a year after her operation, but not without complication and variable health. Although she had many good times in her extra year, i would be reluctant to put another hen through the ordeal.

Watermelon moment