Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Just Ducky10]

wow, this is really well thought out and makes great sense. Thank you.

Thanks

I need some experienced advice. One of my black copper marans hens that I've had separated and waiting for eggs to be infertile so I can breed is suddenly having problems. She was fine yesterday but today, when checking for eggs, she was laying on her side in the nest, breathing raspy and heavy. I picked her up and brought her in immediately. She was weak, keeps falling asleep, and spit up some clear fluid a couple times. At first, she seemed to not be able to even hold herself up. Hubby and I gave her a 1/2 cc of penicillin. Now, she's wrapped in a towl on my lap. She keeps dropping in and out of sleep but she's holding her head up on her own right now, her breathing seems almost back to normal. She seems a bit pale on her face but her comb looks fairly normal (it looked slightly blue tinged when I first found her like that). Any clues what this could be? Is penicillin a good choice of treatment? I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing. This is a new one for me.

Update: not 10 minutes after writing this, she went into convulsions and passed away

I'm so sorry, these symptoms can apply to many different things. It sounds like it involved the brain & lungs, possibly the heart too (possibly threw clots which blocked blood flow to the brain) Possibilities are botulism; neurological issue; poison (chemical or natural); bacterial infection that's spread to lungs, brain, and possibly ovaries causing cysts that slow egg production; etc.

I hope you find out why and that no more birds get sick.

 

[Just Ducky10]

I didn't find much though I've never opened up a hen before. We've butchered plenty of roosters. Her abdomen was filled with clear water. Heart looked normal. Liver seemed large and so did the gallbladder. The ceca were both full and kinda greenish. I'd never even noticed the ceca in any butchered roosters but they were very obvious in her. Is that normal? Other than that, I didn't see anything else. Her crop was normal besides being almost empty, no sour smell.

It's sounds like this ---> https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/68731/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Thanks
I'm so sorry, these symptoms can apply to many different things. It sounds like it involved the brain & lungs, possibly the heart too (possibly threw clots which blocked blood flow to the brain) Possibilities are botulism; neurological issue; poison (chemical or natural); bacterial infection that's spread to lungs, brain, and possibly ovaries causing cysts that slow egg production; etc.

I hope you find out why and that no more birds get sick.

It's sounds like this ---> https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/68731/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites

She definitely had ascites. There's no doubt about that one. I'm just curious what caused it and if there's anything I need to correct to make sure it doesn't happen again. She did seem to have a LOT of fat on her but I'm not sure how much is normal for a hen.

eta: I didn't see any cysts and I don't know of any poison she could've possibly gotten into. She was in the garage brooder for the last week and a half and only got the food and water that I poor in there worth them.

 

[Just Ducky10]

She definitely had ascites. There's no doubt about that one. I'm just curious what caused it and if there's anything I need to correct to make sure it doesn't happen again. She did seem to have a LOT of fat on her but I'm not sure how much is normal for a hen.

eta: I didn't see any cysts and I don't know of any poison she could've possibly gotten into. She was in the garage brooder for the last week and a half and only got the food and water that I poor in there worth them.

Did her liver have a lot of fat in it (it would look yellowish gray), if so fatty liver could cause it to not function as well and may be the cause of her getting ascites. If you're worried about your other birds you could add cinnamon to their feed to increase blood flow and improve lung function. If they're also a little over weight and you think that may have been involved you could try reducing corn (by getting a wheat based feed or by mixing wheat with their feed) or increasing greens (by adding alfalfa meal/pellets).

I hope the rest of your birds stay safe.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Did her liver have a lot of fat in it (it would look yellowish gray), if so fatty liver could cause it to not function as well and may be the cause of her getting ascites. If you're worried about your other birds you could add cinnamon to their feed to increase blood flow and improve lung function. If they're also a little over weight and you think that may have been involved you could try reducing corn (by getting a wheat based feed or by mixing wheat with their feed) or increasing greens (by adding alfalfa meal/pellets).

I hope the rest of your birds stay safe.

I Didn't notice any extra fat in her liver. They all eat NON-GMO feed that is 20% protien and I ferment it for them. They all free range all day except when in confinement (which for her was only just over a week). She was not noticeably fat. I only have one hen who is but I think it's hereditary in her case. I'm just going to have to keep an eye on them though I will add some cinnamon to the feed. Thanks for that tip

 

[LadyBehir]

I think the worst of the molt is over, 2 of the girls let me pet them today. Soooo soft and silky. Wonder when I'll start getting eggs again.

 

[GeauxChickens]

Hi guys-- I am in the Pittsburgh area, South Hills, and I have such a nice Easter egger roo who needs a home. I got him as a chick (hoping for a hen of course) and sadly I can't keep a rooster here. Would anyone take him for me? I am sorry to see him go but it has to happen. I have had no luck with my flyers or craigslist ad so far. Thanks!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

[COLOR=333333]Hi guys-- I am in the Pittsburgh area, South Hills, and I have such a nice Easter egger roo who needs a home. I got him as a chick (hoping for a hen of course) and sadly I can't keep a rooster here. Would anyone take him for me? I am sorry to see him go but it has to happen. I have had no luck with my flyers or craigslist ad so far. Thanks! [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR]

He's such a gorgeous guy! Hope you find him a home

 

[stake]

I need some experienced advice. One of my black copper marans hens that I've had separated and waiting for eggs to be infertile so I can breed is suddenly having problems. She was fine yesterday but today, when checking for eggs, she was laying on her side in the nest, breathing raspy and heavy. I picked her up and brought her in immediately. She was weak, keeps falling asleep, and spit up some clear fluid a couple times. At first, she seemed to not be able to even hold herself up. Hubby and I gave her a 1/2 cc of penicillin. Now, she's wrapped in a towl on my lap. She keeps dropping in and out of sleep but she's holding her head up on her own right now, her breathing seems almost back to normal. She seems a bit pale on her face but her comb looks fairly normal (it looked slightly blue tinged when I first found her like that). Any clues what this could be? Is penicillin a good choice of treatment? I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing. This is a new one for me.

Update: not 10 minutes after writing this, she went into convulsions and passed away

Auro:

So sorry to hear.....she went really quickly...she was probably beyond hope by the time you realized she was ill...it part of the high metabolism of the chook...(imho)...they go down fast and recover fast...my goto is tetracycline....sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't

 

[speney]

I need some experienced advice. One of my black copper marans hens that I've had separated and waiting for eggs to be infertile so I can breed is suddenly having problems. She was fine yesterday but today, when checking for eggs, she was laying on her side in the nest, breathing raspy and heavy. I picked her up and brought her in immediately. She was weak, keeps falling asleep, and spit up some clear fluid a couple times. At first, she seemed to not be able to even hold herself up. Hubby and I gave her a 1/2 cc of penicillin. Now, she's wrapped in a towl on my lap. She keeps dropping in and out of sleep but she's holding her head up on her own right now, her breathing seems almost back to normal. She seems a bit pale on her face but her comb looks fairly normal (it looked slightly blue tinged when I first found her like that). Any clues what this could be? Is penicillin a good choice of treatment? I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing. This is a new one for me.

Update: not 10 minutes after writing this, she went into convulsions and passed away

I'm so sorry it's so hard losing one.