Old Hen with Dropsy?

[GreenFoundryChickens]

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Black sex linked 4 years old

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
She has an extended bottom, research has taught me that it could be a disease called dropsy, which is build up of water in the lower abdomen from liver or kidney failure.
(I havent been able to find alot of info on this chicken disease, but did find a few mentions of it in older publications)

About two weeks ago her comb fell over, and she became sluggish. She has been been getting worse and we assumed that she would have passed by now.
Her lower stomach region is VERY full of liquid and she is walking very slowly, shes clearly on her way out, but we dont want to traumatize her with an axe to the neck.

Any ideas on what it could be if not dropsy, and any ideas for euthanizing her without chopping her head? (we are very familar with killing our roosters, but never a hen)

heres a photo of her, this was last week
shes the black sex linked. Her name is BT
Thanks for any help!

 

[PunkinPeep]

That sounds very much like peritonitis to me (infection from yolks in the abdomen).

The axe to the next is more traumatic for us, not so much for the hen. You could also do cervical dislocation (broomstick method is a means of cervical dislocation), which is a way to break the neck without actually chopping the head off, but it's difficult with an adult bird.

I'm very sorry for your loss. B.T. is beautiful.

 

[GreenFoundryChickens]

Thank you so much Beth.
Its great to have a name for it.
she was a great bird!
-Lauren

 

[PunkinPeep]

I just realized that this was your first post. I'm so sorry your first post had to be one of this nature. But just the same,

And so sorry for your loss.

 

[haiviva]

Hi Eliot
I have joined BYC just a few days ago. I am a veterinarian in Jerusalem, working with companion and exotic pets (~30% exotics).
I am very much interested to know what had turned out to be the story of BT? Was it peritonitis? (egg or infectious)
or was it clear fluid because of heart failure and lung hypertension?) Did she survive?

Thank you very much

Sincerely

Hagai