Pullet with soft squishy belly , eyes closed.

[snow5164]

So my 6 month old pullet was standing in the corner fluffed up .I have had two close their eye and not recover not matter what I did .

17% grower protein feed with grit and oyster shells on the side. No new additions , got them as 8 week olds . I had two shell less eggs this week .. 5-6 are laying pullet eggs

Her crop is empty at 8 pm,
No live or mits at vent or under wings .

She is one of 14 that all look the same .

I have fed her neo-chor an antibiotic we use and some electrolytes. She took it when I dropped it in the side of her beak .
I bathed her as she has a soft mass? Between her legs , her vent is moist and normal looking .
I'll check her poop ..

 

[DakotaDreamer]

Are they on layer pellets? It sounds like she might be eggbound. If they lay too many shell-less eggs it can cause them to become eggbound. I feed mine 16% protein feed. I hope this helps. It is always sad to see them sick.

 

[snow5164]

Are they on layer pellets? It sounds like she might be eggbound. If they lay too many shell-less eggs it can cause them to become eggbound. I feed mine 16% protein feed. I hope this helps. It is always sad to see them sick.

I just feel a squishy soft belly... should I bath her tomorrow again ? We have them all on grower feed it's 17% protein with grit and oyster shells on the side .

 

[DakotaDreamer]

I would. If there is a shell-less egg, you probably won't be able to feel it. I haven't had experience treating it but I have read up on it. They should be put on layer feed as soon as you can get it. Usually you switch to layer at 18 weeks so that is probably the cause of your shell problems. Does your brand of feed say to keep them on grower that long because if it does stick to what it says. Let me know how she does. Good luck.

 

[snow5164]

In multi age flocks they can be kept on grower their whole lives . Layer has grit and calcium in it which non laying chicks can't have .

I've raised many chicks this way with no problems just give grit and calcium on the side .
I think these Rhode islands are working out the kinks because as they started to lay the problems began.

I'll bath my girl tomorrow and feed her again by syringe.thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Does her abdomen feel a bit swollen as well as squishy?
Any photos of the poop?
You also mention that you have had 2close eye and not recover - can you explain this a bit more?

Soaking her in epsom salts may help if she is trying to pass a shell less egg.

Try to get her hydrated - dehydration makes it harder to pass an egg. I would also give her some poultry vitamins in her water or direct dose her with something like Poultry Nutri-Drench. Extra calcium can help with contractions, so consider giving her some - I usually crush a TUMS finely and sprinkle it over a hard boiled egg - easy way to get it into them.

Let us know how she is doing.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[azygous]

Snow, I tried to respond to your PM, but you may have unintentionally blocked responses.

From reading the history of all the troubles you've had with these birds you got from this one particular breeder, I'm suspecting there may be a virus in play that is behind all your woes.

The only good way to find out what you're dealing with is when you have another chicken die, get a necropsy on the body.

You might also talk to this breeder and ask if they are having similar issues with laying hens and losing more than a normal number of chickens to "mysterious" causes.

These viruses infect all of the individuals in the flock, yet most may show no symptoms, being resistant to the virus. Even still, they pass the virus on to chicks as they develop in the egg, and later, these birds can develop an active form of the disease and tumors can grow on organs causing all sorts of problems, then death.

The fact you are having so many hens with problems tells me something more is in play than simply individual hens with laying issues.

 

[snow5164]

The two that died got swollen tummys and were almost gone before I got to them ( back injury has kept me in bed)

Ok so overnight after a soothing bubble bath , my little baby pooped out mostly yellow with a little white pure liquid.

I fed her more antibiotics, vitamins and she readily swallows it from the dropper.

Eyes are alert she has passed two more two inch splats of bright yellow this morning.

Am I correct to think this could be yolk??

I'll keep feeding her and bathing her

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have photos of the poop?
If you have a vet than can perform a fecal float and gram stain test on a fresh sample of poop, that can help rule out worms, cocci overload and bacterial infections.

Reading the post @azygous made - I haven't taken the time to review your "history" like she has, but she always has sound advice, so it would be a good idea to think about her recommendations.

It is so very hard to know what's going on, but yellow poop that looks like yolks can be an indication of reproductive issues. Now, the cause can be a number of things, just a failing reproductive system, genetics or showing up as a symptom from an underlying disease.

 

[snow5164]

Well her belly just below vent is larger and hot now... I went to get bath water and she was lying on her side gasping ... time to give up.. this makes me so angry.

Must be some genetic defect because as they begin laying complications start....