Hi All,
Grasping at straws here.....noticed my hen had a very large abdomen 2 nights ago. It felt squishy, like a water balloon almost. The size of a 1/2 of a tennis ball. I took her to our one vet in the area that does know something about poultry and is willing to advise/treat chickens the very next day.
He palpated and diagnosed her as having a HERNIA. He showed me how he could push it back up in the hole inside/internally (nothing coming out her vent), then when she moved, it would come right out. I had him draw some fluid from her, just for my peace of mind, to see if there was any chance of it being egg peritonitis or ascites, rather than a hernia. No fluid whatsoever.
I had hoped, after reading Ruth's posting of her BSL with ascites that it might be something I could try to treat.
Details of Rosey: Califormia White Hen (white production hen), 1 1/2 years old, 4-5 lbs, smallish in size, no parasites, eating and drinking well (on 16% layer/breeder crumbles with supplement/treats of raisins, grapes, sunflower/shelled chips, seeds and grit/oyster shell free-choice), waterers cleaned daily. Kept with one bantam roo and 2 others standard size hens in 8 x 12' coop, 16 x 40' run with supervised free ranging 2 hours daily. Droppings normal, comb red and healthy. Consistent (unfortunately) layer of larger eggs, good shell consistency.
I have contacted several avian vets (sometimes avian doesn't necessarily mean 'chicken-friendly or knowledgeable' I have found.
The ones that did respond didn't have much hope. Apparently, surgery can be done, but frequently the hernia simply recurs and it is 'iffy'. I asked about Lupron injections to slow down egg-laying and was told it is VERY costly and only will slow down and probably not stop laying. Vets weren't real optimistic about using this. The other suggestion is simply to let her live out her life while she has quality and euth when it gets really bad. She has not had any incidence of egg-binding yet or prolapse out her vent.
Any suggestions? Diet, slow down laying somehow, surgery, other methods or meds? Any ideas appreciated, I am sure I am not the only one to face this. She is a wonderful 'free-spirit' of a hen, always the one to range or investigate the farthest, loves to dig up my flowers, takes on the roosters and is boss hen of her little coop. kat and Rosey
Grasping at straws here.....noticed my hen had a very large abdomen 2 nights ago. It felt squishy, like a water balloon almost. The size of a 1/2 of a tennis ball. I took her to our one vet in the area that does know something about poultry and is willing to advise/treat chickens the very next day.
He palpated and diagnosed her as having a HERNIA. He showed me how he could push it back up in the hole inside/internally (nothing coming out her vent), then when she moved, it would come right out. I had him draw some fluid from her, just for my peace of mind, to see if there was any chance of it being egg peritonitis or ascites, rather than a hernia. No fluid whatsoever.
I had hoped, after reading Ruth's posting of her BSL with ascites that it might be something I could try to treat.
Details of Rosey: Califormia White Hen (white production hen), 1 1/2 years old, 4-5 lbs, smallish in size, no parasites, eating and drinking well (on 16% layer/breeder crumbles with supplement/treats of raisins, grapes, sunflower/shelled chips, seeds and grit/oyster shell free-choice), waterers cleaned daily. Kept with one bantam roo and 2 others standard size hens in 8 x 12' coop, 16 x 40' run with supervised free ranging 2 hours daily. Droppings normal, comb red and healthy. Consistent (unfortunately) layer of larger eggs, good shell consistency.
I have contacted several avian vets (sometimes avian doesn't necessarily mean 'chicken-friendly or knowledgeable' I have found.
The ones that did respond didn't have much hope. Apparently, surgery can be done, but frequently the hernia simply recurs and it is 'iffy'. I asked about Lupron injections to slow down egg-laying and was told it is VERY costly and only will slow down and probably not stop laying. Vets weren't real optimistic about using this. The other suggestion is simply to let her live out her life while she has quality and euth when it gets really bad. She has not had any incidence of egg-binding yet or prolapse out her vent.
Any suggestions? Diet, slow down laying somehow, surgery, other methods or meds? Any ideas appreciated, I am sure I am not the only one to face this. She is a wonderful 'free-spirit' of a hen, always the one to range or investigate the farthest, loves to dig up my flowers, takes on the roosters and is boss hen of her little coop. kat and Rosey
