Not Zinnia! Possible Ascites

[Aunt Angus]

Hi.

My top hen, Zinnia (Plymouth Rock) seemed fine today, but when I went to put my flock to bed tonight, Zinnia was still in the run - very unusual. I picked her up to put her in the coop, and she felt rather bloated. I compared her to my other hens, and she still seemed larger.

I know that ascites is a symptom of something likely untreatable. So what I want to know is:

* What else should I look for to determine if she has ascites?

* Does anyone have pics that I can compare her to?

* Is it possible she's just fat or something?

I am NOT prepared for something to happen to Zinnia. Why is it always our favorites?

 

[Sara S]

I don’t know much about this injury but I knkw! It’s always our favorites. Prayers for her and my fav got taken I was so sad but recovery for her

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Hi.

My top hen, Zinnia (Plymouth Rock) seemed fine today, but when I went to put my flock to bed tonight, Zinnia was still in the run - very unusual. I picked her up to put her in the coop, and she felt rather bloated. I compared her to my other hens, and she still seemed larger.

I know that ascites is a symptom of something likely untreatable. So what I want to know is:

* What else should I look for to determine if she has ascites?

* Does anyone have pics that I can compare her to?

* Is it possible she's just fat or something?

I am NOT prepared for something to happen to Zinnia. Why is it always our favorites?

Is there any feather loss on the abdomen? When my hen had ascites, she had no feathers. The abdomen swells and it feels very much like a full water balloon. She also had a dirty bum.
I have seen a different hen, my black australorp, in a trance of sorts and not behaving as normal right before she laid a soft shelled egg. Could that be a possibility?

 

[Eggcessive]

A hen with ascites besides having an enlarged lower belly, will usually act sickly. They may not have much appetite, they may have urates that look yellow instead of white, and can have runny or messy poops. They may have a slower acting crop or develop impacted or sour crop. I don’t recommend sticking a needle into the abdomen to check for yellow fluid inside, but that is what is done when the belly gets tight and full, and if the hen is having trouble breathing. If there is no yellow fluid, it may be just fat or internal laying and infection. My small bantam mille fleur had a bluish tone to her belly when it developed.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I spent a lot of time observing her and then checking her over today. Here's what I noticed:

• She has diminished energy.
• Her crop was empty this morning, and I observed her eat and drink as per usual.
• Her keel bone feels as it should, so I highly doubt she's overweight/obese.
• Definitely large abdomen. It does feel water balloonish.
• She has a slight limp and us favoring her right leg/foot. I see no sign of injury, swelling, infection. I don't know what's going on there.
• Her breathing is labored to ight as she's perching. She rocks back and forth with each breath, and I can hear her wheezing a little.

I'm going to call a vet tomorrow and have her seen. My gut tells me it's ascites that I caught early. If that's what it is, I will do my best to make her comfortable and watch her closely. When I notice that she is very uncomfortable, I will have her euthanized.

She is the best hen ever. Seriously. The best. Even my DH commented, "But she's our best girl...."

This one's going to hurt.

 

[Lizzy733]

My girl just slowly slowed down over the course of several months. She had normal poos the whole way through and normal appetite and condition, but she was 'very' thirsty - especially at the end.

It is uncurable, but there are some palliative care options. The fluid can be drained from the abdomen with a 22 gauge syringe, but in my experience, they put it back on within a few days. It does help alleviate some later stage symptoms like difficulty breathing though. Do be aware that this is a painful condition, so do gauge her quality of life when deciding when to make 'the big decision'. We made ours a bit too late and she died in her sleep before we could bring her in for euthanasia. The vet had felt several abdominal 'lumps' so it is very likely her cause was cancer and she was a hybrid layer almost 3 years old. We did have her on meloxicam to help with the pain once she started to slow down.

If I come across it again, I will cull at the point they start being unable to keep up with the flock or start to show discomfort rather than put them through treatments.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My girl just slowly slowed down over the course of several months. She had normal poos the whole way through and normal appetite and condition, but she was 'very' thirsty - especially at the end.

It is uncurable, but there are some palliative care options. The fluid can be drained from the abdomen with a 22 gauge syringe, but in my experience, they put it back on within a few days. It does help alleviate some later stage symptoms like difficulty breathing though. Do be aware that this is a painful condition, so do gauge her quality of life when deciding when to make 'the big decision'. We made ours a bit too late and she died in her sleep before we could bring her in for euthanasia. The vet had felt several abdominal 'lumps' so it is very likely her cause was cancer and she was a hybrid layer almost 3 years old. We did have her on meloxicam to help with the pain once she started to slow down.

If I come across it again, I will cull at the point they start being unable to keep up with the flock or start to show discomfort rather than put them through treatments.

This is helpful. I know it's a symptom of a terminal condition, but hearing your experience helps a lot.

I'll see what the vet says tomorrow.

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks like a sweet hen. You can try to drain her yourself with an 18 gauge needle. Disinfect the area on her abdomen, and insert it just under the skin. I really hope that it is not ascites, but I have seen quite a few in my hens, mostly at the time of a necropsy. It is very common, unfortunately. One other condition is called a cystic right oviduct, and that may cause a collection of clear colorless fluid inside the abdomen. Hens are born with 2 oviducts, but sometimes the right one does not shrink and disappear. It can collect with clear fluid. Your vet may do an xray to look for fluid. Let us know what they think.

 

[Aunt Angus]

She looks like a sweet hen. You can try to drain her yourself with an 18 gauge needle. Disinfect the area on her abdomen, and insert it just under the skin. I really hope that it is not ascites, but I have seen quite a few in my hens, mostly at the time of a necropsy. It is very common, unfortunately. One other condition is called a cystic right oviduct, and that may cause a collection of clear colorless fluid inside the abdomen. Hens are born with 2 oviducts, but sometimes the right one does not shrink and disappear. It can collect with clear fluid. Your vet may do an xray to look for fluid. Let us know what they think.

Thank for thos information. She has ever appt tomorrow morning. She was not well this morning. She was just sitting in the coop, and her limp is worse. It looks like she may have early bumblefoot.

It isn't looking good for her, I don't think. I put her in a crate in the run so that she would not be harassed by the others and hopefully just relax a little.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Zinnia is my top hen. She defends me if my rooster gives me attitude. She's never let him mate with her, either. She'll only squat for me.