Sick Hen..egg bound? Something else? What can I do?

[Eggcessive]

For what it’s worth, I have had at least one hen the last few years with a bottom like the one in your pictures, and they tend to live fairly normal lives for a couple of years, although they haven’t laid eggs. Every hen is different, as @coach pointed out, the enlarged lower abdomen can be from different issues. I watch for bullying or any suffering, and I usually put them down and do a necropsy to see what was wrong. Usually when one is on the way out, the others may start pecking their combs bloody, and I separate them or put them down. I know how to drain a hen with ascites, but I chose not to, since it is only a temporary fic, but also can potentially cause harm.

 

[Dparish032]

Thank you so much I don’t want our sweet girl to suffer. For now she is still foraging with the flock and eating. I’ll keep a close eye on her behaviors and hopefully the detox will help give her some relief.

Salpingitis, EYP, cancers, etc. can have very similar symptoms, but the prognosis is equally poor. The bloated abdomen, whether it is ascites, infectious matter building up, tumors/cysts, or a combination of those things, is generally a sign that her time left is limited. I've lost birds to all of those and often you don't know the definite answer until necropsy. If she is still eating and drinking and acting fairly normal, then I leave them with the flock. Once they go off food and water, isolate themselves, stop doing normal chicken things, are obviously feeling bad and uncomfortable, or are attacked by the flock, then I euthanize. For fluid build up in the abdomen, if you don't want to try draining (I honestly rarely drain due to risks and temporary nature of it) then you can try giving this:
View attachment 1991293
This is a herbal liver detox liquid which I have found to give some relief sometimes in cases of ascites. It is also temporary, but less invasive and less risk of shock. It's available at health food stores and online, it has to be refrigerated once opened and is good for 6 months. Dose I use is 4 ml per day for up to 7 days. Once it's refrigerated then let your dose come to room temperature before giving it, don't give it cold. If it works and helps give some relief, then you can repeat if/when the ascites recur. I think it's very likely that your bird has pretty advanced illness, so nothing may really help. The pressure also makes it hard for them to push droppings out, so often birds with reproductive problems will have dirty vents or feathers below. It is also very uncomfortable for them when handled, so be gentle and try not to put pressure on the abdomen. There is also risk of an internal rupture from a fall or hard landing from the pressure inside. I'm so sorry.

 

[Dparish032]

That is correct. She even gets excited for her snacks. I will keep a close eye on her. Thank you for your reply!

@coach723 nails it.

From the appearance of her poop, she's still active and eating. Is that correct? She still has some living ahead of her, but I suggest you weigh her now for a benchmark. Then keep an eye on her weight, behavior and poop.

She will let you know she's finished living when she quits eating, loses weight, becomes lethargic, puffs herself up, and her poop is white and watery and has only green bile in it. At that point, she is asking you to end it for her.

 

[Dparish032]

Thank you!! We love Ms Pepper and don’t want to see her get worse. For now she is acting normal but her bum looks very concerning. We will give it time. I wish there was a way to know sooner when they are getting sick

For what it’s worth, I have had at least one hen the last few years with a bottom like the one in your pictures, and they tend to live fairly normal lives for a couple of years, although they haven’t laid eggs. Every hen is different, as @coach pointed out, the enlarged lower abdomen can be from different issues. I watch for bullying or any suffering, and I usually put them down and do a necropsy to see what was wrong. Usually when one is on the way out, the others may start pecking their combs bloody, and I separate them or put them down. I know how to drain a hen with ascites, but I chose not to, since it is only a temporary fic, but also can potentially cause harm.

 

[Dparish032]

So I decided to drain Peppers water belly today. The fluid is very dark (see pic) Does this mean something other than ascites? What antibiotics can I give her? She seems to have some relief after we drained her...I’m hoping we can give her more time

 

[azygous]

Dark abdominal fluid usually indicates a bacterial infection. If it has an unpleasant odor, that would be further indication of infection.

An antibiotic would be in order. My preference is amoxicillin 250mg. once a day for ten days. https://www.revivalanimal.com/product/fish-mox?sku=22150-174

 

[aart]

So I decided to drain Peppers water belly today. The fluid is very dark (see pic)

Wow, that's really dark...never seen any like that before!
Usually it's yellowish-orangish-brownish.
How big is that container?

 

[Eggcessive]

The darker the fluid, the more bilirubin pigment is present. Does the fluid have a bad odor? Usually the ascites fluid is yellow or amber, but in some cases can be greenish brown. I am not a vet and I don’t know all the facts, but there might be advanced liver disease or some involvement or rupture of the gallbladder. Ascites can be a result of right sided heart failure, liver cancer or liver disease, fatty liver disease, and is seen in egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[Dparish032]

Thank you all for your responses.
Pepper just passed away and I am heartbroken. She seemed comfortable after her warm soak and us draining some of the fluid. She perked up for a bit and even ate a blueberry for me. She laid down and slept for a few hours. I woke her up to give her an antibiotic and when I put it in her mouth she just kept it there, no swallowing. I gave her a drop of water on her beak and then she opened her mouth wide and closed it, then she started seizing, threw up a little and died in my arms. I feel horrible

 

[azygous]

You did all you could. Do not think for a second that you caused Pepper to die. At the moment she started to "seize" she was dead. What appears to be a seizure is merely a neural muscular response to the heart stopping.

It's a very emotional, even terrifying, thing when we are handling a sick chicken when she dies. The first time it happened to me, I was certain I had caused it. In over a decade of dealing with chickens, I've had many die in my arms. While I no longer misunderstand what the seizure means, it is still very sad and upsetting.

We feel like we've gotten to know Pepper, and we share your grief. She will be missed. Her sweetness and energy remains with us.