I have a Welsummer hen that is about 14 months. She is acting normal except: she waddles like a duck, had some poo stuck on her backside (removed x bottom bath yesterday) and she goes to the nest daily, but I am thinking that after being in there for quite some time, she hasn't laid an egg. She is eating, she is squawking (normal vocal self), her color is good in comb and waddles, and she is coming/going with the flock (they free range). She is, for certain, the bottom of the pack.
What I have done: I have internally palpated for egg-bound, to about 2". Nothing hard felt, she had a little bit of normal-appearing waste discharge during the process of palpation. She is soft in the abdomen and I suspect fluid-filled between the legs and in the belly making her start to walk like a duck, but not so bad yet that it drags--just spreads her legs and makes her waddle. Her tail is held normal so far and not down. She doesn't appreciate being peeked at during her "egg laying" sessions.
Other info:
food is no-soy, no-gmo organic, layer feed, the flock free ranges, and receive meal worm treats now and then, plus they have free access to oyster shell. Water is plain. I offered plain organic yogurt today--she ate it in between eating her regular feed.
both of her welsummer sisters went broody (and a fine hatch & mothering experience we are enjoying), she didn't go broody, but she has lost feathers (molt?) especially as though she would brood (belly feathers gone). She is pretty standard in size. Our RIR roo serviced all the hens, including her. (However, I am concerned that his spurs are becoming a problem because of feather loss for all of them--clearly from breeding based on location of loss--i'm considering the potatoe or plier method to remove the spur casing). Could he have injured her internally in a way that is affecting her--and would it be permanent?
I have not seen any of our wellie eggs since the others went broody. However, I have never known which eggs were hers because I suspect that hers are much lighter and lacking, for the most part, speckling--so I think either she has laid and they are quite similar to other brown eggs, or she hasn't laid for 3 weeks. I will say that I got about the smallest egg from any of our hens 2 days ago--and wonder if it is hers and that she is having internal issues? (Isolating would be a challenge as we have two hens that have hatched chicks, and fixin' to hatch her clutch, too--so half the coop is a nursery, the other half the regular folk. the run is the training area for the 2 weeks and over chicks and mama.) We could isolate her, but she'd end up in a doggie kennel and probably not happy.
Sorry for the length--trying to cover everything so someone can answer without too many Q's. I've read about ascites and yolk peritonitis--wonder if she was injured during the process a week or two ago and now is trauma stricken with the yolk peritonitis without hope of recovering? Thoughts--help? Or is it possible she is egg bound and I cannot feel the egg due to location?
for the record--we love our birds, really do. But, not willing to prolong the inevitable if she is simply going to decline until death. I'd rather cull her if that's where this is going anyway. And, if culling is what is best, I don't mean to be harsh--but would she be edible? My philosophy is, if my bird is going to give it's life, it should be for my table and not another's--unless it's not edible. And...if we need to just cull her and avoid a miserable decline, what is recommended as the least fear-striking, most humane method?
Thank you for reading--and answering. Tenhen (and growing)
What I have done: I have internally palpated for egg-bound, to about 2". Nothing hard felt, she had a little bit of normal-appearing waste discharge during the process of palpation. She is soft in the abdomen and I suspect fluid-filled between the legs and in the belly making her start to walk like a duck, but not so bad yet that it drags--just spreads her legs and makes her waddle. Her tail is held normal so far and not down. She doesn't appreciate being peeked at during her "egg laying" sessions.
Other info:
food is no-soy, no-gmo organic, layer feed, the flock free ranges, and receive meal worm treats now and then, plus they have free access to oyster shell. Water is plain. I offered plain organic yogurt today--she ate it in between eating her regular feed.
both of her welsummer sisters went broody (and a fine hatch & mothering experience we are enjoying), she didn't go broody, but she has lost feathers (molt?) especially as though she would brood (belly feathers gone). She is pretty standard in size. Our RIR roo serviced all the hens, including her. (However, I am concerned that his spurs are becoming a problem because of feather loss for all of them--clearly from breeding based on location of loss--i'm considering the potatoe or plier method to remove the spur casing). Could he have injured her internally in a way that is affecting her--and would it be permanent?
I have not seen any of our wellie eggs since the others went broody. However, I have never known which eggs were hers because I suspect that hers are much lighter and lacking, for the most part, speckling--so I think either she has laid and they are quite similar to other brown eggs, or she hasn't laid for 3 weeks. I will say that I got about the smallest egg from any of our hens 2 days ago--and wonder if it is hers and that she is having internal issues? (Isolating would be a challenge as we have two hens that have hatched chicks, and fixin' to hatch her clutch, too--so half the coop is a nursery, the other half the regular folk. the run is the training area for the 2 weeks and over chicks and mama.) We could isolate her, but she'd end up in a doggie kennel and probably not happy.
Sorry for the length--trying to cover everything so someone can answer without too many Q's. I've read about ascites and yolk peritonitis--wonder if she was injured during the process a week or two ago and now is trauma stricken with the yolk peritonitis without hope of recovering? Thoughts--help? Or is it possible she is egg bound and I cannot feel the egg due to location?
for the record--we love our birds, really do. But, not willing to prolong the inevitable if she is simply going to decline until death. I'd rather cull her if that's where this is going anyway. And, if culling is what is best, I don't mean to be harsh--but would she be edible? My philosophy is, if my bird is going to give it's life, it should be for my table and not another's--unless it's not edible. And...if we need to just cull her and avoid a miserable decline, what is recommended as the least fear-striking, most humane method?
Thank you for reading--and answering. Tenhen (and growing)
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