Laying hens with "water belly" or "ascites"?

[Loribelle]

Janice, I finally got up the nerve to drain two of our hens about a couple of months ago. The first one had completely clear fluid and the second had fluid the color that you described. The first one had laid a small lash egg before I drained her so, as an antibiotic preparation, I put her on oregano/cinnamon tea that I brewed up each day and let cool. I put it in her water bottle and she loved it. I also give both of these girls and two others who were slightly distended dandelion roots and tea every other day. For four birds I use 2 tsp dried roots and steep it in about 1/2 c boiling water. I let it cool to lukewarm and add instant oatmeal to soak up most of the tea. Only one girl would eat just the roots so this was my trick to get them all to eat it. So far, so good! The ones I drained have not bloated up again and the other two are going down to normal size! Wahoo! I hope your girl continues to improve! It is great to see them back to their normal sassy selves, isn't it?

 

[nicollee]

So I drained my hen 500 mL came out of her belly it looked a little slightly pink-ish but get it could be also called clear it really reminded me of thin egg whites I I put her on antibiotics amoxicillin I guess I wasn't sure that was the right antibiotics to put her own I'm very glad I finally got the bravery up to drain her it was actually pretty easy she just llay down and let me drain her belly and really didn't move though she's definitely much happier and running around. I guess I'm just worried that she will not recover fully.
I put a large gauge needle probably about 2 inches below her vent to the left just below the skin but I did not put it straight and I put it so it just went under the skin so I would not poking anything underneath. Then I just attached a syringe and pullback 500 mL which is a lot of fluid

Good for you! I hope she's feeling better now...
I kept Kohl in a "clean" environment for several days, till I was sure the poke holes stopped draining, and she looked like she was feeling better.

 

[Janice123456]

Ramona is feisty and running around with her pals a few days after I drained get belly. I have her about 1 mg of lasix to see if it would do anything. Not sure. She still has some fluid in her belly. I plan to drain her again next week for her comfort and to really get her belly down. Curious to see if it will occur again slowly or quick.

 

[itspoeotisee]

Hi Loribelle,
I'm curious about the oregano/cinnamon tea that you used and am curious about the milk thistle too. Our girl has had ascites for a few months and we just keep draining her but she's so uncomfortable and unhappy. Hate to play favorites, but she's our top chicken. My husband calls her the benevolent dictator-- she's so relaxed, doesn't need to assert herself. All the other girls know she's top dog, even since she's been sick. I'd really like to help her feel better and am really interested in herbal remedies and what your source is on those things, as well as your experience!
Thanks so much!

 

[Janice123456]

My chicken with the acites is the top dog also. She has all summer been walking around with a large belly and I finally got the chance and the bravery up to drain her that was the best thing I ever did because she always act very sick before that she would not dig for her own worms and she was not eating like the other Chickens where I started her immediately on antibiotics for about 5 days I put her on human amoxicillin about 50 to 75 milligrams a day and I continued milk thistle I found a liquid that had no alcohol in it and I gave her half of CC about once every other day I can tell you today which is about 2 weeks after I drained her she is out digging her own worms she is running fast I can hardly catch her and she's feeling really good. I would caution if you decide to drain your chicken with a needle to be sure to clean the skin really good with either betadine or alcohol before you put a needle in and be sure you're not going to puncture anything underneath because if you puncture for her intestines you will kill her. I just put the needle barely under the skin to drain her and it was the best thing and the best decision that I have made to treat her. So I would say go for it and drain the chicken if it really has ascites it's going to make the chicken much more Healthy able to take care of herself

 

[nicollee]

I had to drain Kohl again.... Really sad...
The first time we drained her the liquid was just slightly colored,
I'm more worried this time... The liquid color was like an egg yolk.
I'm not sure where to go from here, we took about 10 oz out of her...
She seems happy otherwise...
I think she's the one who's been laying quail size eggs...
I"ve gotten about 6 quail size eggs over the last two weeks...

Any ideas, or suggestions...

We're going to keep her indoors a day or two,
I gave her a dose of doxycycline since it was the only antibiotic I have around.
She's also not dripping as much as the last time we drained her...
That time the litter in the "hospital" was all wet within an hour... this time it's not.


Thanks

 

[chicknmania]

Well, I was told that egg yolk-ey fluid means internal laying. And there, I'm not sure what to tell you to do. If there's anything you can do. You might try re-posting under the emergencies section and title it "internal laying" and see if anyone has any suggestions.

 

[Janice123456]

If the lqd did not smell bad it's probably a sterile acites. So draining her makes get more comfortable and a few days on antibiotics is ok. I am using betadine as a scrub to sterileze the needle puncture site. So I don't do antibiotics any more unless chicken is acting sick or has very bad diarrhea. Had worked for me last two times. Drain her before it gets too bad and be sure to use betadine

 

[chicknmania]

I don't know what sterile ascites is, you mean no infection? There shouldn't be an infection, unless it is egg yolk peritonitis. If it is that, yes, there would be infection, and I suppose it could smell bad if it's bad enough. The egg yolk peritonitis is what causes the cloudiness, from infection, egg yolk or both. The clear liquid that is usually seen might be from heart or liver failure, or it could be a sign of ovarian cancer. Regardless of what the cause is, Ascites is a sign that the bird's days are numbered. Thing is, we don't know what number....so we just keep trying.

 

[chicknmania]

I doubt that she could have developed an infection from a dirty needle, but yes it's always good to take precautions. We usually did give an antibiotic...one day before, and two days after..but I don't think it's really necessary.