- Apr 6, 2013
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I've had three birds that I suspect have had some form of internal laying/egg yolk peritonitis. Never formally diagnosed, but suspicious.
Case 1: A Polish hen, full sized, about 3 years old when the problems started. She came from a breeder. She was definitely egg bound at least once, which we resolved by soaking her in a warm bath with epson salts, and lubricating her vent. She went on to lay a few more eggs, but never with as much regularity as before. She began to cyclically (every few weeks) exhibit signs of egg binding, although we never were sure if she was actually egg bound again. Her bottom is often messy, and she'll keep her tail down on occassion, pumping it like she's trying to lay. We continue to give her warm baths every so often to try to loosen things up when it gets particularly bad. She no longer lays eggs regularly, but she surprised us a few weeks ago by laying an egg. She acts healthy, just a little cooky. And she has gone on to live an additional year and a half since the initial egg binding. I'm no longer sure if the occasional "egg binding" symptoms she exhibits are egg binding, because no egg ever emerges. I suspect she might have some mild peritonitis? I have no idea if that is even possible.
Case 2: A Black Orpington, about 3 years old when the problems started. She came from a hatchery, I believe. She survived a raccoon attack at about 2 years old. At the time she belonged to a friend who is skilled in avian wildlife rehabilitation and nursed her back to health. Shortly after that, a few months later, she came into our possession, and developed a distended abdomen, and looked to be near death. No longer eating or drinking. Refusing to move. I thought for sure she was a goner. But my friend came over, and very skillfully drained about a cup of fluid from her abdomen with a sterilized syringe and needle. We gave her vitamins and electrolytes, and she recovered. The same thing happened again a few months later, we followed the same treatment. She recovered again, and has had no problems since. Occasionally her abdomen seems to start swelling, but never as much as before, and she always returns to normal. She is now very healthy, vibrant wattles, well preened feathers, she eats and drinks regularly, lays eggs, and went broody for a spell. I wouldn't have been confident treating her on my own, but it was miraculous to watch her recover. She has been healthy for over a year now without problems. Not sure if this was internal laying, complications from the raccoon attack or what. But I was beyond impressed by her recovery.
Case 3: An Americauna, about 4 years old, from a breeder. She has recently started exhibiting symptoms of peritonitis, which is what brought me here. She laid what I'll call a shell-less egg, but was really just a mass of egg whites with a little yolk mixed in. After laying this, she was sitting up on a roost, alone, with ruffled feathers, wings drooped, tail down. I brought her in, gave her a bath in epsom salts, cleaned up her bottom, rubbed some antibiotic ointment on her vent. No sign of any shell, but some definite mucusy/egg whitey mess was on her bottom. I kept her inside, and tried to get her to eat, but she is still refusing most food. She ate a few bites of plum, some sour cream, and a sip of water with vitamins in it. I have her back outside because she hated being inside. She still has her tail down, and she is pooping what looks like egg whites. Refusing most food. I'm not sure she will make it. I might try to give her another epsom salt bath later today. If anybody has any tips, I'd appreciate them. Not sure if this is peritonitis, but pretty suspect that it might be, and that there isn't much to do.
Case 1: A Polish hen, full sized, about 3 years old when the problems started. She came from a breeder. She was definitely egg bound at least once, which we resolved by soaking her in a warm bath with epson salts, and lubricating her vent. She went on to lay a few more eggs, but never with as much regularity as before. She began to cyclically (every few weeks) exhibit signs of egg binding, although we never were sure if she was actually egg bound again. Her bottom is often messy, and she'll keep her tail down on occassion, pumping it like she's trying to lay. We continue to give her warm baths every so often to try to loosen things up when it gets particularly bad. She no longer lays eggs regularly, but she surprised us a few weeks ago by laying an egg. She acts healthy, just a little cooky. And she has gone on to live an additional year and a half since the initial egg binding. I'm no longer sure if the occasional "egg binding" symptoms she exhibits are egg binding, because no egg ever emerges. I suspect she might have some mild peritonitis? I have no idea if that is even possible.
Case 2: A Black Orpington, about 3 years old when the problems started. She came from a hatchery, I believe. She survived a raccoon attack at about 2 years old. At the time she belonged to a friend who is skilled in avian wildlife rehabilitation and nursed her back to health. Shortly after that, a few months later, she came into our possession, and developed a distended abdomen, and looked to be near death. No longer eating or drinking. Refusing to move. I thought for sure she was a goner. But my friend came over, and very skillfully drained about a cup of fluid from her abdomen with a sterilized syringe and needle. We gave her vitamins and electrolytes, and she recovered. The same thing happened again a few months later, we followed the same treatment. She recovered again, and has had no problems since. Occasionally her abdomen seems to start swelling, but never as much as before, and she always returns to normal. She is now very healthy, vibrant wattles, well preened feathers, she eats and drinks regularly, lays eggs, and went broody for a spell. I wouldn't have been confident treating her on my own, but it was miraculous to watch her recover. She has been healthy for over a year now without problems. Not sure if this was internal laying, complications from the raccoon attack or what. But I was beyond impressed by her recovery.
Case 3: An Americauna, about 4 years old, from a breeder. She has recently started exhibiting symptoms of peritonitis, which is what brought me here. She laid what I'll call a shell-less egg, but was really just a mass of egg whites with a little yolk mixed in. After laying this, she was sitting up on a roost, alone, with ruffled feathers, wings drooped, tail down. I brought her in, gave her a bath in epsom salts, cleaned up her bottom, rubbed some antibiotic ointment on her vent. No sign of any shell, but some definite mucusy/egg whitey mess was on her bottom. I kept her inside, and tried to get her to eat, but she is still refusing most food. She ate a few bites of plum, some sour cream, and a sip of water with vitamins in it. I have her back outside because she hated being inside. She still has her tail down, and she is pooping what looks like egg whites. Refusing most food. I'm not sure she will make it. I might try to give her another epsom salt bath later today. If anybody has any tips, I'd appreciate them. Not sure if this is peritonitis, but pretty suspect that it might be, and that there isn't much to do.
