Swollen bottom, but not egg bound? *UPDATE-we had to put her down-EYP*

[lizage]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

She just had a bowel movement on my porch

. Here's some pictures. The yellow parts are basically the color of egg yolk. Not sure what the green "nuggets" are.

 

[lizage]

Just to update, we put our hen down last Sunday. her comb and wattles turned purple and her breathing was very labored. It was 5 days from the time I first noticed symptoms. I believe that she had egg yolk peritonitis. Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[speckledhen]

These threads may be helpful to you in the future. If you keep hatchery hens, especially, it will happen again.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362422

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=195347

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ences-on-egg-reproduction-production-necropsy


The green is from concentrated bile. She wasn't eating much or at all, or her body wasn't processing what she was eating. It's common at end stage EYP/internal laying.

 

[lizage]

Speckledhen, I had actually read through all of your posts before.

Of course, when it's your first time going through it, it's so hard to figure out what's right and wrong (or if anything is wrong in the first place!). I really appreciate the fact that you've taken so much time to record all your experiences because it is so useful to so many here!!

 

[speckledhen]

Speckledhen, I had actually read through all of your posts before.

Of course, when it's your first time going through it, it's so hard to figure out what's right and wrong (or if anything is wrong in the first place!). I really appreciate the fact that you've taken so much time to record all your experiences because it is so useful to so many here!!

I know it's really hard the first time to understand what's wrong. The first death was sudden, no lead-in, and when we opened her up, her abdomen was full of loose egg yolk so EYP. After that, because we researched, the next one was less of a mystery and we found slightly different stuff inside, the solid cheesy gunk. We just didn't realize that they'd go that way one by one. It's knowledge and experience I really wish I didn't have, to tell the truth, but hopefully, since most of my hatchery hens are gone now, I won't see it nearly as often. Lord knows there are enough things that can go wrong with chickens without this stuff! So sorry for your loss.

 

[Hens rule]

My hen has the same thing- i have tried all egg binding treatments and none have worked. She has a pale face and wheezes when she struggles to fly out of my hands when i hold her. No other hens are showing any symtoms. My hen is pooping normaly.

 

[Feathere6Girls]

Our sweet Gertie is having similar symptoms. She's suddenly acting confused too. Same poop and swollen abdomen as the others mentioned. She had crop issues right after she started laying and we remedied that but never laid another normal egg. She lays a tiny yolk less egg about every 3-4 weeks. She's going on 3 years. Any input is appreciated

 

[Sasgirl]

One of my Australorps has the swollen bottom. I first noticed her closing her eyes while standing. She has been getting soaks, lubed, and calcium for 2 days now and nothing. Her poop is normal. Pretty sure she has not been laying, but can have a tendency to lay large double yolk size eggs. Any help?