I just lost my favorite hen ~ egg yolk peritonitis :(

[Funky Feathers]

My favorite blue cochin (bantam) hen "Amie" died in my arms this afternoon. I was told she had egg yolk peritonitis. She was very fat (I didn't know that until I did her necropsy).

She had been recovering from a head injury, when I noticed poop stuck on her vent area, as well as a bunch of small white pustules. As I was cleaning that stuff off her in the tub, she got stressed and passed out. I tried to revive her, but failed. She also had an egg stuck inside her, no way for it to get out (I think it was in the wrong place). Upon necropsy I found a TON of yellow fat (could be why her egg couldn't pass). Over an inch thick. You can see in the pics she had lots of eggs developing inside her (all different sizes).





















Pics are in reverse order, so look from the bottom up.

 

[Haunted55]

I am so very sorry you lost her. Kudos to you for doing the necropsy and finding out what was going on with her. Bitter lessons learned this way, but ones we'll never forget and can use to help our own and maybe someone elses birds in the future. Again, so sorry.

 

[Falkenhof]

I'm very sorry for your loss. Very strong of you to examine what was wrong. Very sorry,

 

[Funky Feathers]

This is her a few months ago

 

[realsis]

so sorry for your loss!

 

[RetiredRN]

I just lost a white leghorn chicken to egg yolk peritonitis. The night before she died, her comb was very purple, and there was something stuck in her vent. I was able to pull some of it out but it kept breaking off (I thought it was a disintegrating egg) and ended up trying to digitally remove it. In the process, I poked through something and yolk came out. So at that point I was sure that I had found a soft egg. However, as I removed the stringy white fibrous matter, some part of her anatomy also came out. It looked like a flat butterfly but it was attached and had blood vessels in it. It went back in. I don't know if I perforated her bowel or if I relieved her somewhat but she died in the hours following. This chicken has always had poop accumulate under her vent. I had to periodically wash her off and sometimes trimmed her feathers. She laid huge eggs when she was laying. She was 4 and hadn't laid any good solid eggs for the last 6 months. She had been sick with a variety of symptoms 4-5 times over the past few months. I figured she was about to stop laying but I'm wondering if she was producing eggs but unable to lay them.
I have another white leghorn that had not been laying either and I'm wondering if chickens just stop laying at a certain age. I don't care if she lays eggs but I don't want the same thing to happen to her. Can I give her something to stop the production of eggs? Is there any way to prevent egg yolk peritonitis?
I have 3 other adult chickens (not leghorns) and only one is laying at this time but she is laying beautiful, hard eggs so I don't think the diet is an issue.

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[realsis]

I just wanted to say I'm so very sorry for your loss! that must have been heart breaking! as for something to stop egg production I've heard of the vet being able to give a shot to help stop it but I do not remember the name of the medication . I would also assume it would have to be given often as a regiment. hopefully someone else knows the name of it. or perhaps you can ask a vet or avian vet about it. maybe you can find the medication that way. I believe its a hormone. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully someone else knows the name of the medication. sorry I can't be of more help. good luck.

 

[realsis]

here is a link on how to slow egg production. I hope this helps. http://www.avianweb.com/egglaying.html

 

[realsis]

the name of the hormone drug to stop egg laying is lupron. I found this online
hope it helps you out. good luck.

 

[RetiredRN]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I will ask my vet about the Lupron.
I've had chickens for 4 years but wonder if I'm not doing something right. Aside from dusting for lice every now and again, am I supposed to give antibiotics periodically to prevent something? I never can figure out why it seems my chickens go through dry spells of not laying. My barred rock isn't laying but she was attacked by a fox 16 days ago (she's doing great) and my mixed barred rock and buff orpington isn't laying. My leghorn isn't laying and unfortunately is exhibiting some of the same symptoms as the white leghorn who died (depressed because her buddy is gone?) - the only one that is laying right now is my buff orpongton. They all look healthy with the exception of the leghorn so I don't know. My local vet does not treat chickens so I'm pretty much on my own. Am I missing something?