Matilda - update - Rest In Peace :(

[patandchickens]

This is the ~9 month old ISA Brown pullet who turned up several days ago with blood soaking the feathers all around her situpon region. I eventually figured out the blood was from being pecked at while straining with a (temporarily) prolapsed oviduct, since there turned out to be loads of bruising up inside the vent, and blood too. She also has at least one egg stuck inside - can feel it but it's behind tissue and I can't find any opening. It has moved slightly lower over the past days but not much. I've been keeping her alone indoors, in relatively dim light, and giving her warm sitz baths (heat lamp afterwards to dry off), and vaseline-ing her vent, and giving her high-calcium stuff like yogurt.

But this morning she had material looking (and definitely smelling!) like cooked egg yolk coming out of her bottom. I fished a little more out of her manually (yuck) during her warm soak.

Her lower abdomen has gradually become pretty distended, and feels soft like risen bread dough. She is a little depressed (although being separated from the other 2 chickens probably does that too), still eating and drinking but I don't think she's eating as much as normal. She doesn't seem all that poorly tho.

She is not standing 'funny'; however, except for that, I am thinking this sounds like she has become an internal layer and/or has yolks backing up in a plugged oviduct...? Thing is, I am totally new to chickens, so I would like to know if I might be on totally the wrong track entirely, in case someone can think of some other reasonable explanation?

I hope so, because if I'm right I gather things don't look all that good for her

Honestly I don't see us taking money set aside in case of major horse or cat emergencies and using it for risky surgery on a critter that's not apt to live too many more years anyhow, sorry

We will keep doing 'normal' things to try to get her egg laying system going again and to keep her comfortable, and I keep going out and bringing her treats of yogurt and bits of veggies and other things she likes, and telling her what a beautiful chicken she is (I am surprised to find that the chickens seem to really enjoy being talked quietly to)

I would PREFER to be entirely wrong about all this, though

Any alternative explanations, or suggestions? (Don't say soup-pot, please... I'll be fine with the idea of eating birds that were all along intended for that end, next year, but she's our first chicken and is a designated 'pet' and too old to fry anyhow, and we're not that hard up for soup stock

)

Feeling like a failure,

Pat

 

[DuckLady]

It sounds like she is laying internally. There is not much you can do for that except surgery.

I am sorry.

 

[dlhunicorn]

http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=diseasecasestudies&action=display&num=1169201098
The above thread will have some helpful links and info for you ...this documents the tale of PENNY, a wonderful pet of a BYC memeber which was treated and recovered from it...(warning graphic pics of the surgery but please have a look as you will then see why the condition of "internal/false layer" is so deadly .)

 

[bantymum]

I have heard of using a laxative oil, I must try and find out which oil to use. It sounds like egg peritonitis which is why I cannot buy another isa brown, they seem to be prone to this, they lay prolifically and eggs get so large. They have such sweet natures and it is a shame they get this horrible condition.
I think the oil is castor oil, but somebody else may be able to help here. Its well worth a try and apparently, though I havent needed to use it, it works very quickly to move the egg.
If it is peritonitis, she will need antibiotics asap as she will not survive otherwise. She will need a vet if you can get her to one.
Im sorry but if you wish to keep her as a pet she will need expert help with this!
I really hope you have a good outcome here, good luck
Hugs
Helen
Ok I just had a search and found bread soaked in olive oil helps. Also black sunflower seeds in her diet. Though if there is a yolky substance, she needs meds!
Ok, i also found this advice:
Try a few drops of cod liver oil mixed in some yoghurt and soft mash.

 

[bantymum]

How is dear little Matilda going, any updates???

 

[patandchickens]

Thanks for asking bantymum. (And thanks very much for all the suggestions!) She's about the same. A little droopier, although I don't know how much of that is from physical causes vs from being stuck indoors away from her two colleagues. But she doesn't seem to be suffering, you know? Just 'under the weather'.

On the bright side the bruising/swelling/bleeding of the tissues inside the vent is pretty much gone now, which I'd think might be helpful, and I haven't seen any of the yolky material today.

I can still feel an egg inside her (can't touch it directly tho), but it has moved considerably overnight. It used to be almost pressing against the vent from inside, albeit with at least one layer of tissue in front of it; now it is much further inside, I'd say up behind the tip of her breastbone. I don't know enough about chicken gynecology to know whether this is good, bad or indifferent.

Unfortunately I just don't see us going the surgical route, but we are doing our best short of that to keep her happy and give her insides a chance to sort themselves out. I'm giving her some bread soaked in olive oil today as bantymum suggested (knowing how painful the effects of castor oil can be on someone with nothing actually plugging them up, I am really leery of giving it to her) and I probably forgot to mention she's had a pile of black oil sunflower seeds in her feeder since a few days ago. She eats some of them, but not especially enthusiastically. Still giving her yogurt and vegetable treats, and warm baths. I told her a story today while I was bathing her tummy. She made little chicken noises at appropriate times

So, I dunno. Fingers still crossed, waiting to see what will happen

Pat

 

[bantymum]

Oh the poor little sweet chook! thats so cute that she answered your stories whilst bathing!!
They love being spoken to, its our verbal way of communicating.
I hope that egg comes down quickly and someone else can offer more advice on its location!!!
Dhunicorn is good at this stuff.
sorry dhunicorn, i havent had my coffee yet, you already have helped!!!!

 

[dlhunicorn]

http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=emergencies&action=display&num=1165115215
The above link is my collected articles on reproductive disease (the first link will lead you to extensive infomation on that)

...in there you will see the vets use calcium gluconate for eggbound problems... one vet described how in a pinch you can use one crushed up tum as an emergency replacement. I would also give three drops of POLYVISOL in the beak once a day for a week as malabsorption of nutrients occurs to one degree or antoher whenever a bird is poorly and the D in that will help any calcium issues. A good complete poultry supplement such as AviaCharge 2000 (you can order online from McMurry or Strombergs) would also be helpful to ensure no sever deficiencies while she is so poorly.

 

[patandchickens]

Oh, Polyvisol is a good idea, thank you! I will get some tomorrow; in the meantime will give a couple drops of the only-vitamin-D supplement that we bought for, but have not actually gotten around to giving to

, our four and a half month old son. His first lesson in sharing

Also I took your suggestion and got a packet of poultry vitamin supplement powder from the feed store this morning, and after a bit of math (instructions said "mix one 100g packet with 225 liters of water"... eek!) it's now in Matilda's waterer.

Looked at your reproductive disorders links page the other day, dhlunicorn, and that's one of the reasons I'm so worried about her

She is still about the same. Spent a lot of time in the nest box, but no result. Thanks to everyone for the good wishes and advice; I will let you know if anything changes.


Pat

 

[SpottedCrow]

I have no other bright ideas for her, but Diana, is there any way to sort of move the egg into the correct position?
Have my

for Matilda.