LOOKS LIKE SHE WANTED TO EXPLODE

[Kramspott]

Hey Gang,

I culled a 2 year old California White yesterday. She could not walk and her belly was so swollen it shined. She was hurting.

We have 24 hens and this white looked like if you hit her with a pin she'd explode.

There are no worms in their droppings and now I have another California White starting the same thing. All the others are fine.

It looks like they have a fat belly between their legs which is quite pink and swelling out so much that there are no feathers on the affected area?

Thoughts?

It has been 110 for the past two weeks and the weather just broke - they have had plenty of water, dry food and daily scraps.

Kurt

 

[CMV]

EYP or ascites. If they are laying I would say ascites. If they were not laying then I would say EYP. They are at the right age for reproductive problems. If the bird(s) have either the prognosis is not good. You did exactly what you needed to do. When you put the next bird down, open up her abdomen. I bet you'll find masses of cooked egg material in there. If not that then her liver and/or heart are shot.

Sorry for your loss(es).

 

[Kramspott]

Thanks for the heads up Flock Mistress. I am going with EYP now that I have read up on it. Looks like hers was infected with bacteria. The other white does not look infected and it looks like she is absorbing the egg back into her system.

Funny thing, my 6 CA whites and leghorns have been the most susceptible to issues like this.

The Orpingtons, RIR's, Ameracauna's and pretty much any bird that DOES NOT lay a white egg is a hearty bird.

Hmmmmmmm...

 

[CMV]

Any bird is susceptible, but the highest production birds are the ones most prone to this issue, and high production birds that came from a hatchery are just about guaranteed to have it (I exaggerate with this claim, but only a little). Any of my sex links that weren't killed off by predators, died of reproductive issues. I've never had one live to a ripe old age. I have stopped getting them because it is too heartbreaking.

 

[Kramspott]

We've been hatching our own for the last two years. The ones we hatch are more hearty.

Especially Ameracauna's.

Hatching two (today and tomorrow) for a friend.

Hatched a dozen solid birds outta twenty eggs this year.

The CA Whites and leghorns were production birds we rescued. Lotsa double yokers from them.