I chickened out, couldn't cull her (SEE PG 6)

[babyspice35]

Good luck

Let us know how things progress

 

[California Ducken]

Thank you for jumping on this dlhunicorn!
You are well loved here!

 

[Sillystunt]

Quote:
I would have done this immediately and I suggest you do so (dont wait till she recovers but then only with ivermectin or ivomecEprinex>>>Even though she is so ill I urge you to worm your bird and since your bird is so ill I would recommend you give this wormer (you can only occasionally see adult phase worms... many types of worms will rarely be passed out thru the vent) > when birds are weak worms soon follow and I suspect she may have had worms before all this got so out of hand.... There are probably several different things going on here ... use the spot on method (topically at base of neck > be sure it is on the skin not the feathers)

Quote:
you stated earlier that you had a thread up a while back about her laying soft shell eggs...
>>> Give a crushed TUM today and tommorrow ...this is also an emergency substitute for the calcium gluconate a vet would give for reproductive crisis where passing the egg (or retained pieces of a broken egg) are suspected (btw if the egg is higher up you would not have "felt" anything when you examined her internally > I do not support this internal exam as birds can reverse the movement of their contractions which you risk by doing this and it does nothing useful for the bird or to help the situation) put the bird in a warm bath for a few minutes) can't hurt and might very well help ... the "cooked egg" you described might have been from a softshell egg broke way up high in the reproductive tract (and was more solid through its passage thru the reprod tract) > she might be straining due to another softshell egg "stuck"there > they are not always of normal size etc. when there are problems... so I dont think we can rule out this possibility (so give the TUM and warm bath)

The mash is a great idea, and I plan on feeding it to her as well.

Please do not give the milk (e.coli is often indicated in reproductive disorder >see my comments above) and do not give the "selenium tablet" (no dosage given) > see my discussion with glenda on that here (very narrow therapeutic range and toxic when overdosed):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2388550#p2388550

When a bird is this ill she will have malabsorption (which means even when she does eat enough she is unable to absorb the nutrients from it)
I would get some babyparrot/bird hand-feeding formula (sold at petstores or online which is a powder you mix with water) and mix that in with her feed > this will concentrate the nutrition. Dont go giving her a bunch of greens and such she normally doesnt eat >keep it simple and dont change her diet too drastically (add the handfeeding formula to her normal feed > dont give scratch grains and encourage her to eat the yogurt)> you can add a cooked egg yolk through her feed if this makes it more palatable
>I also suggest you give four drops of POLYVISOL enfamil once a day for a week then taper off the next (liquid childrens A-B-D vitamin) > this time for the D3 and also if you have it AviaCharge 2000 (great general suppement sold online from McMurry or Strombergs)

Last but not least > keep her in a stress free environment like the bathroom or other mainly empty room with little traffic if she is in the house > she may not protest if in a room with people coming and going but birds get real quiet when they are stressed and it is best not to have her in a place with strange people smells and such when she is not used to that.

Your birdie is lucky to have you ... I have seen so many at deaths door recover and others that didnt seem so bad suddenly drop dead and the only thing you can do is give it your best try (((hugs)))

ETA: worstcase scenario:
http://www.avianmedicine.net/ampa/29.pdf

(see pg 768 > oviduct impaction)

I am like so impressed by your knowledge! I have tears in my eyes and i am just so warmed by the love you just shared! Sorry having a PMS moment

I feel like there should be a BYC nobel peace prize awarded here!

 

[ruth]

I too am just now seeing this post. I normally check the Emergencies forum and somehow missed the first one but I'm not sure how it was titled. I also don't see any information on the initial post about the swollen abodmen so maybe that's why you didn't get many replies - or maybe it got edited.

In any event, I'm glad you got the fluid out of her - it can only help. I'm afraid I don't have any advice beyond the draining because in my hen's case, she was and is still laying eggs and the fluid was clear. I did have to drain her again in 3 months (after the initial draining) and again 3 months after that but have not had to drain her in several months now. She's active, alert, normal in all respects, squats to be picked up and petted, and lays a large brown egg every day. If I had to, I would drain her every few months for the rest of her life because she is my original chicken and she's special to me.

If your hen is not laying she could be an internal layer and I don't think there's any "cure" for that short of a hysterectomy but getting the fluid out will make her more comfortable and less stressed and give you time to try the suggestions of DLHUnicorn who is very knowledgable in all things chicken related.

Best of luck.

 

[dlhunicorn]

my only knowledge is how to find the info from REAL specialists (which I am not) and solid source info pertinent to chickens.
If you read the articles in my library then you know what I know

 

[California Ducken]

Any update on your hen?

 

[NurseELB]

Still hanging in there! She loves her food, talks to us whenever she knows we're around. Still has the great big belly, still walking like a penguin, and still no egg.

No idea what to do now. I know she's an internal layer, I know there's no chance for her except for a surgery we can't afford, and she probably won't survive. She just seems so full of life. When do I put her down? Do I put her outside to live out her days? Leave her in the tub?

 

[babyspice35]

Quote:
You should love her and make sure she's comfortable.

The sooner, the better.

If you can tell she's in pain, then you gotta do it.

Keep us posted!

Best of luck

 

[dlhunicorn]

long as you can keep the fluid drained and she gets no systemic infection > that will recquire baytril (really a matter russian roullette > I know of instances where the bird with internal/false layer and ascites had a relatively good quality of life for a a year or two with the condition as long as she was drained regularly and given nutritional/vitamin supplements) then it is possible to enjoy your bird or at least have time to prepare for the inevitable.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Is it possible to put a penrose drain or a Jackson-Pratt drain into a chicken

I hope someone can come up with something to help you. I'll keep you *bumped*