Setting myself up

[AZChick]

You may remember several weeks before Christmas I had a sick hen that I thought was egg bound. I did all the egg bound stuff and she did not pass an egg. Took her to the vet where I work ( we do not see chickens) and we x-rayed her figuring if there was an egg we would be able to see it, there was nothing. You can feel a large hard lump in her abdomin and the vet did find an abcess just inside the vent. We put her on antibiotics for the abcess. Several days later she passed some yokes, but not eggs. Since then she has been in the house over night and on cold days. Her health has not improved any as she still has the hard lump. She drinks tons of water and has very watery stools. On sunny days I let her back out with her friends. She usually spend some time each night sitting with me, and has started purring. She also like to snug her head up under my hair and rub her face on mine. Ok so here I go setting myself up for a broken heart again, but I just can't help it.

 

[jimnjay]

Sorry AZ, we can't help getting attached to the sick ones. I hope she rebounds but with the little tumor or whatever the lump is, it does not sound good. Its hard to advise anyone else what to do in a situation like this, you just have to go with your gut.

 

[Sandyki]

Would you consider, or would your vet consider, withdrawing some fluid from the 'lump' to determine what is inside of it?

:|
Sandy

 

[AZChick]

I almost have her talked into opening her up to remove whatever is inside, but it is risky. We could loose her on the table, and as I said she really does not see birds. I don't think the lump is fluid filled, but I will talk to her about it.

 

[V Chic Chick]

Is it possible that it could be cancer of the reproductive tract? I have heard this is surprisingly common. I read a link about it - I don't have it but Diana probably does. I have also read that keeping them with extra light to increase egg production can have the same effect, they did some research into it and none of them lived past five

 

[AZChick]

V Chick I have read the links that Diana sent and I do think that it is cancer. Wes suggested that idea also. Unless I can get the lump removed (and possibly even if I do) all I really can do is to keep her comfortable and well loved until her time comes, then suffer the consequences of a broken heart. That is my current plan anyway.

 

[AZChick]

Well as I feared the time to say good bye to Fluffy has come. I will putting her down sometime this week. She seems better, has more energy, is very curious, and eats and drinks well. Since she has been sick she has really smelly and runny stools, to the point where I cutt all the feathers off on her bottom end because I just could not keep her clean. She still has the golf ball size solid as a rock mass in her abdomin. I have noticed over the past few days that she now makes noises like it hurts badly every time she has a stool. Since the point of this was never to make her suffer, I think it is time.

 

[bigzio]

AZCHICK, sorry to hear about your sick hen.

One simple last thing you could try is to mix plain or vanilla yogurt to her feed.

We often have good results with sick or stressed hens by giving it to them, although your hen may just be to sick. Can't hurt anything and she should love it!

Wet poo is expected when hens consume alot of water. It's the norm during hot summer weather when birds are really drinking alot. Good Luck. So Sorry.

bigzio

 

[SpottedCrow]

That's so sad...
If she's in pain, then it IS time, so very sorry AZchick
Godspeed Fluffy...

 

[AZChick]

Well she has an appointment for tomorrow, and of course now she has stopped making that noise. I did give her some yogurt with her cat food treats and she loved it. I guess I will decide for sure tomorrow morning. I am bummed that it is raining here, I really wanted her to have a final day out playing in the sun.