Messy Vents, Swollen Abdomens in 7 hens - All are Laying

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Hi Chickenannie:
I looked it up as you suggested. My girls do have the water balloon swelling.

My questions are:
1. My breeds are not the fast growers like I read about.
2. Why would 7 hens of differing breeds all get that condition at the same time and in different coops?
3. What can be done to help them, if indeed it is ascites?

I also posted some of my other thoughts to another response.

Any thoughts?

I'm sorry, I can diagnose some symptoms but I don't know how to treat it. Others on here will be able to help you better.

 

[purpletree23]

I think there has been too much treatment for the past few months. Try giving them plain laying pellets and plain water and see if the problems disappear. I think they just can't adjust to all the medications.

Ascites in all of them would be very unusual especially because they are all different breeds. It's something in their environment or food.

 

[posey]

Quote:
I think so too. This has to be brought on by the meds which was common to all.

But they have been on laying pellets and plain water for two months and nothing improved.
Their abdomens just get bigger with more liquid.

 

[chookchick]

I think it is quite possible that they have had some temporary or permanent liver or kidney damage due to the rapid succession of medicines. These are the organs that would be most susceptible to chemical damage, and this could cause a backup of fluid in the body. If you can drain out the fluid, I think there is a good chance they could recover as they are young, and I have read several times of chickens recuperating from this condition.

Here is a thread with a pic and info on ascites:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=196660

 

[posey]

Thankyou Chookchick for all of the info.

Well I set about the 'draining' today and have some good and some sad results.

The first hen who I know is laying daily, and who laid what looks like a triple+ yolk egg yesterday has a smallish pouch about the size of a tennis ball. I wasn't very successful at draining much but what I did get out was thin, watery and look like very weak broth. I think I will try to drain her again this weekend but try to enter from the right side like was suggested in the other thread.

The second hen (my favorite) is an Australorp and she was the first to begin laying. She laid well for a couple of months. I suspected that she had stopped laying recently. Her pouch was just a little larger than the 1st hen. I was very sad to draw out of the pouch - egg yolk. Alas, she is now laying internally. My poor baby.

The third hen, also an australorp, has a huge pouch the size of a large grapefruit. She two is an internal layer. Soooo sad.

The other girls that I checked have just a very small pouch. I didn't attempt to drain them today but I will try to do them tomorrow but I know that they are all laying.

It's just a little overwhelming to find out that two of my girls are laying internally. At least I know, now.

Thanks everyone for your help. I am hoping the others will be fine.

Bless ya'll

 

[purpletree23]

WOW! Internal layers. Never would have guessed in a hundred years.

I hope the others have a full recovery soon. Thank you for sharing your information with us so we all can learn.

 

[Chicken Poika]

I’m having the same issue. Laying everyday but I got this out of her. And there’s a lot more.

 

[Eggcessive]

View attachment 1637578 I’m having the same issue. Laying everyday but I got this out of her. And there’s a lot more.

That looks like egg yolk peritonitis, not simple ascites. This is such an old thread from 8 years ago. If I were you, I would start a new thread of your own, and post about your chicken here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.10/create-thread