Some help please, hen slow- eating and drinking but seems sluggish. Not roosting at night.

[Court82]

Hello everyone. I need some help. I don’t have a reputable avian vet around so I am kind of on my own here. I have a red star who is about 5 or 6 who recently became sluggish. She doesn’t lay anymore- stopped in April. She eats and drinks fine, but just seems like she is swollen maybe? At first I thought waterbelly but now I am not sure. She’s always been kind of fat. Poop is runny brownish green most of the time —Sometimes whitish. She won’t roost at night- some days she is on my low bar and others she lays on the floor. New to this so I hope I included what I need. I’m losing my mind here.

 

[Shezadandy]

Hello everyone. I need some help. I don’t have a reputable avian vet around so I am kind of on my own here. I have a red star who is about 5 or 6 who recently became sluggish. She doesn’t lay anymore- stopped in April. She eats and drinks fine, but just seems like she is swollen maybe? At first I thought waterbelly but now I am not sure. She’s always been kind of fat. Poop is runny brownish green most of the time —Sometimes whitish. She won’t roost at night- some days she is on my low bar and others she lays on the floor. New to this so I hope I included what I need. I’m losing my mind here.

I'm going to post a youtube video on how to drain waterbelly. If you think she's swollen- she likely is. As the fluid builds up, it compresses their hearts, lungs and digestive tracts. Compare how she feels down between the legs (the lowest point- fluid always sinks)

You'll need a 16 gauge needle (or just buy a set of 3-5) - 1" long. These can be found by the cattle vaccinations at your farm store. You can get by with an 18 gauge, but the process will go easier with a 16 gauge as it is a little bigger hole and it allows the thicker fluid to come out. I prefer a 14 gauge, but those you have to special order online.

Some people attach their needles to a syringe. I stopped doing that a while ago on any hen that needs that variety of help. Reason - when you insert the needle and you're in the right spot (lower right abdomen)- the fluid will start oozing out, no guessing, fumbling with the syringe, pulling back and hoping. Gravity will do its job, and it should only take one poke in the lower right abdominal area.

The video starts off using a syringe, but ends with the fluid just draining out through the needle. I think it's less stressful - then you don't have to worry about drawing fluids too fast through the syringe, and if you have no helper … so much simpler! Also, the hen will continue to slowly drip for a while after you're done.

Here's the video. She gives really good instructions, one poke - not multiple sticks. It's all just free fluid- chickens don't have a diaphragm. Draining isn't a cure, but it can help improve quality of life. It could be anything from heart/liver failure to egg yolk peritonitis. Many times when I'm done they perk up considerably after they've been drained. At the very least she should look more comfortable.

 

[Court82]

Thank you! Funny thing is, I already bought the needles you speak of... I
Just wanted to be sure. She walks with her tail up, but her legs are spread apart and i can tell something is off down there. I’m a nurse so I’ve seen paracentesis before- same deal. This should be easy...however it’s Miss Red. Aka miss attitude. Thank you so much

 

[Shezadandy]

Thank you! Funny thing is, I already bought the needles you speak of... I
Just wanted to be sure. She walks with her tail up, but her legs are spread apart and i can tell something is off down there. I’m a nurse so I’ve seen paracentesis before- same deal. This should be easy...however it’s Miss Red. Aka miss attitude. Thank you so much

Oh good, I'm glad you've got the supplies on hand and obviously have no issues with needles! Definitely best done outside or in an easy to clean room.

I've had one that didn't bat an eye about being poked, and one that turned into a whirly bird with wings and feet going everywhere.

The one that had heart failure had more of a "pontoon" feel - like she had an inflatable ring under there, and that took a different angle than the standard water balloon presentation. It pushed her legs apart as it filled, so she'd get the John Wayne walk, but you wouldn't feel the baggy spot we associate with ascities, so it was a slightly different location, and a different angle to get the fluid.

To do this without the second set of hands, I pick them up under the breast bone with one hand (usually my left hand), and the right hand contains the legs. With or without a helper, I avoid putting pressure on the abdomen when I pick them up, because when the fluid displaces upwards if you pick them up the usual way, it makes it really hard to breathe, also, you get a better drain if the "balloon" stays at the lowest point of the body... again, no diaphragm.

Then I sit in a (PLASTIC!!) chair and kinda lay the hen on her left side to make the right side accessible. I slide my left hand free, and my left elbow goes over the head/neck/wings - not a lot of pressure, just "you're caught" pressure, and I hand myself her legs so my left hand now has the legs, the left elbow/forearm controls the wings. That keeps them pretty well contained without compressing the abdomen directly.

Again, I do it with no syringe. If you want to find out how much comes out, use something with like a wide pan (unless you have a helper). When the fluid starts coming, I let it drain in that position until it slows, then I might stand up to help the fluid work its way down, and I might manipulate the needle a bit. I keep my right hand on the needle all througout the draining process.

Just keep an eye on her comb color and adjust as needed. =)

 

[Court82]

Oh good, I'm glad you've got the supplies on hand and obviously have no issues with needles! Definitely best done outside or in an easy to clean room.

I've had one that didn't bat an eye about being poked, and one that turned into a whirly bird with wings and feet going everywhere.

The one that had heart failure had more of a "pontoon" feel - like she had an inflatable ring under there, and that took a different angle than the standard water balloon presentation. It pushed her legs apart as it filled, so she'd get the John Wayne walk, but you wouldn't feel the baggy spot we associate with ascities, so it was a slightly different location, and a different angle to get the fluid.

To do this without the second set of hands, I pick them up under the breast bone with one hand (usually my left hand), and the right hand contains the legs. With or without a helper, I avoid putting pressure on the abdomen when I pick them up, because when the fluid displaces upwards if you pick them up the usual way, it makes it really hard to breathe, also, you get a better drain if the "balloon" stays at the lowest point of the body... again, no diaphragm.

Then I sit in a (PLASTIC!!) chair and kinda lay the hen on her left side to make the right side accessible. I slide my left hand free, and my left elbow goes over the head/neck/wings - not a lot of pressure, just "you're caught" pressure, and I hand myself her legs so my left hand now has the legs, the left elbow/forearm controls the wings. That keeps them pretty well contained without compressing the abdomen directly.

Again, I do it with no syringe. If you want to find out how much comes out, use something with like a wide pan (unless you have a helper). When the fluid starts coming, I let it drain in that position until it slows, then I might stand up to help the fluid work its way down, and I might manipulate the needle a bit. I keep my right hand on the needle all througout the draining process.

Just keep an eye on her comb color and adjust as needed. =)

Thank you for the help. I’ll be doing it soon. She had a really good day today. The weather helped I think. She started off by flogging me lol.