Please read through this, I would really appreciate it. Sorry if it is too descriptive for some people.
Last year my 3 year old red sex link hen died before I was able to identify and treat the problem. I read through Bobbi-J's thread (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/788134/hen-with-squishy-distended-abdomen/10) and I'm thinking that my hen died of egg yolk peritonitis. But at the time I thought she was egg bound.
Symptoms:
Standing hunched, almost upright
Unable to walk
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite
I noticed her posture and separated her from the other hens and into a quiet place where she could rest. Symptoms did not change for 3 days. Then diarrhea started. I washed her soiled feathers, but the diarrhea was uncontrollable and kept coming. I felt for an egg and there did seem to be a slight swelling. I also bathed her in warm water. I greased her vent. She wouldn't drink or eat, but I managed to feed her a water/calcium supplement solution with a syringe. After about four days of this I was at a loss of what to do. She had gone a week without eating and was skinny, but still round at the rear.
As I was studying her, wondering what to do, she suddenly leapt out of her box and started screaming. All I could do was watch. After 5 seconds of struggling, she fell dead at my feet. It was so horrific, we buried her at once without a necropsy.
So I am wondering - were these signs of EYP? Or was it just egg binding? Either way, what can I do to prevent this in future?
Thanks in advance, and I know my chance to treat the problem has passed but I need more info on this.
Last year my 3 year old red sex link hen died before I was able to identify and treat the problem. I read through Bobbi-J's thread (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/788134/hen-with-squishy-distended-abdomen/10) and I'm thinking that my hen died of egg yolk peritonitis. But at the time I thought she was egg bound.
Symptoms:
Standing hunched, almost upright
Unable to walk
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite
I noticed her posture and separated her from the other hens and into a quiet place where she could rest. Symptoms did not change for 3 days. Then diarrhea started. I washed her soiled feathers, but the diarrhea was uncontrollable and kept coming. I felt for an egg and there did seem to be a slight swelling. I also bathed her in warm water. I greased her vent. She wouldn't drink or eat, but I managed to feed her a water/calcium supplement solution with a syringe. After about four days of this I was at a loss of what to do. She had gone a week without eating and was skinny, but still round at the rear.
As I was studying her, wondering what to do, she suddenly leapt out of her box and started screaming. All I could do was watch. After 5 seconds of struggling, she fell dead at my feet. It was so horrific, we buried her at once without a necropsy.
So I am wondering - were these signs of EYP? Or was it just egg binding? Either way, what can I do to prevent this in future?
Thanks in advance, and I know my chance to treat the problem has passed but I need more info on this.
