I've Done Everything I Can For Her... But I Think Today is Her Last Day. I Need Help Immediately!!

[FreeChicken!]

Victoria, my three-year-old Rhode Island Red hen, is one of my first chickens. I have fond memories of her. It used to take three people standing in a triangle to catch her. But that's hard to believe, looking at her now. For the past two years, she's been pretty lazy and has had a very relaxed nature. I never thought there was something terribly wrong with her. It just seemed like that was the way she was. Lazy and slow and relaxed. But now she can hardly move at all. A few days ago, I noticed her getting even slower and her entire rear half started to swell up. Nasty poo was stuck on her feathers. That's the way it was for my White Leghorn, Blanca, when she had worms. We bought worm medicine for Blanca, and she was better almost overnight. I found the leftover medicine in the cupboard and started to give some to Victoria. But she's only getting worse. I made her a comfy nest in the coop next to the nesting box, where she's napping. The worm medicine won't work, I can't think of what else might be wrong with her, and she needs help ASAP!

 

[Sylvestor12]

I'm not sure what it would be but I reccomend that you wash the poop off her rear end so nothing can get into it. Sorry your little hen is going through this. Another possibility is, if she's getting old it might be organ related. Good luck with Victoria!

 

[FreeChicken!]

Okay, thanks! If the day warms up a little--it's a surprisingly chilly morning for July--she'll get a bath.

 

[Judy]

Unfortunately, internal laying is a distinct possibility. It's not curable. Hopefully the bath will relax her and make her feel a little better.

You can give aspirin. I copied this from a link in the sticky on this forum:


Quote:

 

[FreeChicken!]

Awwwwww... Well, thank you. I will certainly try bathing her and giving her aspirin.

 

[ejctm]

It could be ascites which is fluid caused by heart or liver failure, also it could be internal laying. If her bottom end is really fluid filled, then you can drain it with a sterile syringe and give her a lot of relief. It won't cure the underlying condition but could help her be comfortable and prolong her life for quite a while. If it is internal laying then she will need antibiotics immediately, and again it won't cure her reproductive malfunction but will treat the acute infection.

I have had hens who died from internal laying within a couple of days, and another hen with ascites (who also had shell-less eggs and possibly an infection) who is managed and well for several years. Some people swear by extract of milk thistle to treat the liver/heart condition with good results.

There is a brilliant thread with video of fluid draining here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/newestpost/638821

Also search for egg-bound hens as well, in case it is that. If the bulge feels hard (like an egg) then she could be egg bound, but if it is soft and squishy like a water balloon it could be shell-less eggs or ascites.

Good luck with your hen.

 

[FlyHigher]

Awwwwww... Well, thank you. I will certainly try bathing her and giving her aspirin.

Why not try to do a small surgery on her? Maybe it can save her life!

 

[FreeChicken!]

I'm pretty inexperienced with surgery on chickens, and I'll need help, but the rest of my friends and family are busy. They're still trying to find time to give my rooster more foot surgery (for bumblefoot). We have some friends down the street who raise chickens and rabbits. They've dealt with some pretty nasty rabbit problems, so maybe I can get their help... I would prefer a veterinarian to do the surgery on Victoria--and my rooster--but I've already called twenty vets and found out no one around here will help. Sigh...

 

[FreeChicken!]

Hey... if I were to give her olive oil, would that help at all?

 

[speckledhen]

Abdominal surgery is not something a backyarder should ever attempt to do, sorry FlyHigher, I must strongly disagree! First of all, most folks have no idea what they are doing, have no anesthesia for a chicken and will most likely kill her in the process while causing her more pain than she deserves. You can't get into the oviduct and sew it back up if it's full of cheesy gunk, will not get done what needs to be done and will just introduce bacteria into her body.

Crop surgery is not a problem, but cutting into the main body cavity is not remotely the same thing! Best to let her pass on her own in a quiet dark place or just euthanize her. I've lost many to internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis and ovarian cancers. There is really no cure for any of them.