Is this internal laying?

[sheila3935]

For the past couple of days I have noticed one of my barred rocks not acting quite right. The first day I noticed she was kind of waddling when she walked with toes pointed in. I was thinking maybe bumblefott as I have one in the hospital cage with that right now, so I pick her up to check her feet and notice her belly swollen feels like a water balloon. yesterday she was in the baby run with the younger ones that in itself is unusual. She was not moving a whole lot and kind of squatty and fluffed. Later she laid a soft shell egg in the run. I am sure it was her and not one of the others as I have not seen them laying yet and they are still a little young for that. DD is going to take her to the vet for me today as I have to work. Does this soind like internal laying? Does worms make their belly feel squishy? Guess we will find out later today. By the way she is a year old. and her comb and wattles and face are still a bright red. Her poo yesterday was watery and white.

 

[Judy]

Usually if they get really infested with worms, they lose weight and the comb gets pale. She may have a load of worms, but I don't think that is the cause of the squishy belly. I would think internal laying or a broken egg are more likely, unfortunately. I would guess that some other things like a heart problem could be at work, too. Let us know what the vet says.

 

[speckledhen]

These threads may be helpful to you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362422

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=195347


There can be several causes of bloated belly, but ascites, internal laying/egg peritonitis, heart issues, kidney failure can all be.

 

[sheila3935]

Well we didnt get to take her to the vet yesterday The ones that see chickens wasnt in so we have to wait til Monday. She doesnt seem to be losing weight and yesterday she seemed better. She was actually ruuning around and eating better but that still doesnt mean I wont take her in. Speckledhen did you drain Ivy? I saw you gave her penicillin. How much? I can get penicilin at the feed store today. I have seen pictures of chickens that are internal layers and Buttercup isnt near as big as some of them. Do you think she would have a chance if I give her the injections? I dont want her to suffer. That is the biggest fear of mine is to let them suffer just because I want them to stay alive. I love my animals very much and only want whats best for them. Is this common in barred rocks? Am I not giving enough calicum? Is there anything different I can do to make sure another doesnt get it? I know its not a contagious problem like a respritory or such but if I am doing something wrong as far as feeding. They get layer feed and free choice oyster shells And once a day usually in the early evening they get somekind of treat. Could the heat contibute to something like this as it has been awfually hot for the longest time. Or is it an heridtary thing? Is it better to try and treat or to cull?

 

[speckledhen]

I did not drain Ivy. The penicillin kicked out the infection the first time and the fluid reabsorbed/dissipated on its own. Did the second time around, too. The third time, not so lucky. It's a malfunction more than a disease so it is not contagious and is genetic/hormone based, very frequently seen in the most common hatchery breeds.

You can't prevent it, can't cure it, though one study suggested that the addition of flax seed on a regular basis may help in the prevention--it was one study and I don't have the link to it right now. Mine were given flax seed from time to time, though, so not sure what amount they were giving their study hens or when they started, as chicks or as adults. Once it begins, only a hysterectomy will fix it, if you can find a vet to do it and if she survives the surgery.

As for dosage, I gave a large amount, 3/4-1 cc daily, in the breast muscle (alternate sides each day), for 3-4 days, then you wait and see if it helps, but remember, it won't last.

This is all if your hen has egg peritonitis. Could be something different. I've just seen it so many times, seems the most logical conclusion, in absence of testing by a vet.

 

[sheila3935]

Yeah thats what I was thinking on the hysterecomy. She came from McMurray. Actually I bought her from a guy that ordered 25 straight run kept what he wanted and sold the rest and he got them from McMurray. Will her babies be prone to this? I saw Ivy had daughters I have 2 barred rock girls that my broody Aussie hatched in April and have some babies hatching in the incubator now One of the rocks not sure which now went broody started these eggs then quit so I finished them in the incubator. I dont know for sure if any arefrom her eggs as I have 4 that are laying right now. If she is internal laying I think I will probably have the vet put her down. I really dont want her suffering and this seems like they do. You know this is why I didnt want to get hybrids because I hear about internal laying with them alot. I did get 2 red sex links this spring given to me by the feed store cause they were getting older. I sure hope I dont go through this with them. Now after reading your post I hope all my girls go broody to give them a rest. Do you think it was because I ran a heat lamp on them quite a bit last winter? I am insulating this summer so I dont have to do that next winter.

 

[speckledhen]

No, the heat lamp had nothing to do with it. You didn't cause this at all. I don't add light in winter because I don't want to exacerabate this if there's a slight chance it would, but I have no real proof that it has an adverse affect if the hen is prone to the malfunction anyway. And it's not the breeder stock I have the problems with, just the hatchery hens, though one of my breeder Dels may have some reproductive issue right now (not sure it's internal laying, however).

So far, Ivy's daughter, Fern, has had no laying issues. She lays daily at almost 3 years old. Fern has a daughter, Barbara, who also lays daily. Hopefully, they won't ever malfunction in that way.

 

[sheila3935]

Thats really good to know. Thank you for all the info. I just worry so about my chickens. I would hate to have done something that causes them to have problems. Come to think of it she was kind of an early layer, maybe that has something to do with it. IDK but guess we will find out tomorrow.

 

[speckledhen]

Most hatchery stock tends to lay earlier than breeder stock and I do think that may bring on issues. Also, the fact that most hatchery hens seem to have all broodiness bred out of them so that they don't take long breaks may contribute to the problem. Folks want hens to lay that egg every day and therein lies the problem much of the time, IMO. Of course, that's the reason most people get chickens, for the eggs, but if they never take a break, they're more likely to malfunction.

 

[edselpdx]

Quote:
I can't find the thread now, but someone once mentioned a long-acting injectable ovulation suppressor as a treatment that would prevent recurrence of yolk peritonitis in an internally-laying hen who survived the initial bout of yolk peritonitis. (Kind of like depoprovera for chickens.) Obviously you won't get any eggs from the chicken, but she also won't add to her internal issues by continuing to add internally laid yolks, so if this is a pet you want to love and feed without eggs, you might try searching for this option instead of surgical hysterectomy.

I don't have experience with this, but from a physiological point of view it would make sense if there is such a drug for chickens.