Hen's Abdomen Like a Giant Water Balloon Ready to Pop....

[juleeque]

My Ameraucana hen's abdomen is like a giant water balloon ready to pop. It is soft, but at the same time hard. (she is hard to catch so I don't know how long she's been like this. She and my other Ameraucana hen stopped laying eggs about 5-6 months ago. I may get one on a rare occasion....that will be the next question. Her back side is missing feathers and is also an extension of that "water balloon" feel and look. Her back side also kinda looks .....blue/greenish??? kinda.
She is eating and drinking normal, she walks fine, and even gets up on the top perch. But then she also just lies in the straw too.
My other Ameraucana which hasn't been laying either was checked for a stuck egg, but there wasn't anything there. These two just stopped laying.
>Could anyone tell me what is going on with the 'bloated' hen?
>Do you think it could be contagious?

Also, When my one Ameracuna (not the bloated one) has layed an egg, it comes out with a film on outside, and when i've destroyed it, (same day) it was very GREEN (like the trees) on the inside...no yolk, just green liquid
>What is this all about?

any info anyone can share would be greatly appreciated.
julie

 

[juleeque]

well I"m guessing my hen has ASCITES, but can anyone still fill me in on this more...is it contagious? also the green egg insides? thx

 

[casportpony]

You could try draining her. It's not without risk, but it would make her feel better. No clue what the egg problem with the other hen could mean.

-Kathy

 

[Shabana]

I had a leghorn that laid internally for about a year. She had that balloon abdomen you talk about and some days she was ill, others spritely and happy.
I used to periodically bath her and flush out her bum. I also had her on baytril in the last few months.
I never drained her I just didn't feel experienced enough.
I hope your hen goes on ok. I know it can be a heartbreaking condition and I wish you all the very best.

 

[juleeque]

Kathy, Yes, I went to your post, and read about draining. I am only a year into keeping chickens, and don't feel experienced enough. What are your thoughts on Milk Thistle? I read that could help if it's a liver problem. Do you know if it is the pure breeds that are more susceptible?

 

[casportpony]

Kathy, Yes, I went to your post, and read about draining. I am only a year into keeping chickens, and don't feel experienced enough. What are your thoughts on Milk Thistle? I read that could help if it's a liver problem. Do you know if it is the pure breeds that are more susceptible?

One of the avian vet books I have mentions milk thistle for the liver, but doesn't say anything about the dose.
http://beautyofbirds.com/liverdisease.html

-Kathy

 

[Shabana]

I have just successfully drained my little sablepoot hen. (Thank you to Kathy)

She was stood like a cowboy, legs apart, and her tummy was massive. Having dealt with egg peritonitis a few times I initially thought it was that however I researched ascites because of this thread so thank you to you too.

Being in the UK is difficult when it comes to medication. We cant buy anything over the counter and a vet wont simply give you a syringe and definitely not a needle so I had to improvise.
I had some metacam pain relief left over from my cats prescription so she had a tiny weeny amount of that and I sterilised a safety pin that I felt was the right gage.

I laid her on her side on a towel and covered her head with her light blanket.
I punctured her 3 times about an inch away from her vent on the right and left sides. She never cried out, there was no blood and she started to drain straight away.
The fluid is yellow tinged.
There was a lot. Bearing in mind she's tiny anyway she easily drained 150ml straight off, and then continued to wet through two more tea towels and she currently wetting her third and still dripping.

She can stand with her legs together, and already she's showing interest in her surroundings. She's very very thin and for the last few days I've been force feeding her but I'm hopeful she will survive now.

If she makes it through the night I will get her some milk thistle I hope from the herbalist and keep her of bread and sugary treats. I am aware that I might have to do this periodically and I hope to get a needle for my chicken 1st aid kit for next time but for now she seems content.

I'm hoping to give her a little wash later when she's finished draining and use an antiseptic on the punctures. She has soluble tylan in her water as that's all I can get from my vet (even with a prescription) but that's just a precaution.

She was on her last legs, had stopped eating and was completely miserable, so it was a do or die situation. Obviously a safety pin is not the way to go, but 'any port in a storm'.

Don't be afraid to drain her. I was scared, I even cried when I saw the liquid coming out I was so thankful, my heart was racing and I felt sick. BUT little Boots the sablepoot is sitting down for the first time in days - before all she could do was stand with her legs wide apart. She's not got her head in her neck and she's interested in her surroundings. She's not eaten yet but she's got food in her crop from earlier so fingers crossed.
She's an old lady at 6, but I hope for a little more time with her.

Thank you to BYC and its members. This forum is a gold mine of information and support.

 

[Shabana]

She has eaten herself this morning for the first time. I am super happy about that !
Shes much more alert and although her tail is down still her head is no longer in her neck and she's more wakeful.

I put a heat pad under her and it seemed to help alot.

I hope your hen is doing better. Its a horrendous disease. I wish you all the best.

 

[Shabana]

Boots in my garden this afternoon was a joy to see. Especially snaffling the cats food !
I hope the fluid doesn't return.

 

[MaureenL128]

Did she look like this? this is my silver laced wyandotte and I just bathed her. Her belly is very water balloon like. Could she have the same thing?