I have a black sex link, about 1.5 years old. She molted in fall, came back, laid 2 eggs within the last 2 weeks, and then stopped again.
Last night, I don't think she pooped at all. There was very little poop to clean up in the sand under the roost - and I have 3 hens. Today I noticed her abdomen is swollen like a toddler whose diaper needed changing hours ago. Her cloaca also looks swollen with internal pressure, but not red. She is walking, able to fly up to her perch (18" up) eating, drinking (but not eating much, her crop is pretty much empty). Her comb is red and her eyes bright. I cannot feel an egg inside the abdomen, but it's soft, swollen and making walking difficult for her.
This afternoon I gave this hen a calcium tablet ground up and mixed with a bit of water, using a syringe. Most of it went down. She didn't resist me much, which is not like her. I also gently probed to the length of one clean finger inside her cloaca/oviduct, and felt nothing obstructive, although I could feel something ridged and hard with my fingertip. I don't know what that could have been. When I withdrew my finger, she pooped just a little. Not much. She does not appear to be straining, attempting to pass an egg, or even attempting to poop. I currently have her closed up inside the coop to see if she will poop, but I suspect her abdomen is too swollen to allow poop to pass.
I lost a sex link hen last year to (what I assume was) egg yolk peritonitis, but her abdomen was swollen, hard and hot. She was clearly in pain, and stopped eating and drinking. I put her down before it could kill her. I am familiar with peritonitis.
Does this sound like another case of peritonitis? Does it sound like something I can drain? I'd rather try draining fluid off than knock her on the head. Can I do anything else for her? The coop is heated so she's not cold.
Anyone? Please?
Last night, I don't think she pooped at all. There was very little poop to clean up in the sand under the roost - and I have 3 hens. Today I noticed her abdomen is swollen like a toddler whose diaper needed changing hours ago. Her cloaca also looks swollen with internal pressure, but not red. She is walking, able to fly up to her perch (18" up) eating, drinking (but not eating much, her crop is pretty much empty). Her comb is red and her eyes bright. I cannot feel an egg inside the abdomen, but it's soft, swollen and making walking difficult for her.
This afternoon I gave this hen a calcium tablet ground up and mixed with a bit of water, using a syringe. Most of it went down. She didn't resist me much, which is not like her. I also gently probed to the length of one clean finger inside her cloaca/oviduct, and felt nothing obstructive, although I could feel something ridged and hard with my fingertip. I don't know what that could have been. When I withdrew my finger, she pooped just a little. Not much. She does not appear to be straining, attempting to pass an egg, or even attempting to poop. I currently have her closed up inside the coop to see if she will poop, but I suspect her abdomen is too swollen to allow poop to pass.
I lost a sex link hen last year to (what I assume was) egg yolk peritonitis, but her abdomen was swollen, hard and hot. She was clearly in pain, and stopped eating and drinking. I put her down before it could kill her. I am familiar with peritonitis.
Does this sound like another case of peritonitis? Does it sound like something I can drain? I'd rather try draining fluid off than knock her on the head. Can I do anything else for her? The coop is heated so she's not cold.
Anyone? Please?
