The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Hello - question on distended abdomen,

I lost my Rhode Island Red today and am trying to understand what happened.

I am new to backyard chickens and have been caring for 5 chickens for about 2 years - I got the chickens from a family that could care for them any longer - Australop, Plymouth Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, bantam Wyandotte (I think) and a Rhode Island Red.

The RIR (3 years old - molted once) started showing signs of illness about 2 days ago (Thursday 3/7), lethargic then on Friday loss of appetite, Saturday (3/9) I found the RIR on the floor of the coop with leathery shell and what appeared to be egg (color was not as yellow and very runny) and the hen had not layed since Tuesday. I watched the hen and noticed a distended abdomen - thinking the hen was egg bound I gave it a warm bath for an hour while massaging the abdomen hoping for a discharge but none came. By late afternoon, the hen was classic, head down, tail feathers down and that drowsy demeanor (what teachers see in their students during a lecture). Gave the hen a warm place for the night. Today (Sunday 3/10) the RIR was worse - immobile, difficult walking when prodded and the abdomen was noticeably swollen - I tried to feel for an egg but the swelling was spongy - I tried exploring the vent with my finger (first experience) did not detect anything like an egg but it did feel firm and I do remember thinking it might be an obstruction so I went back to the bath and the massage - no results and by this time the hen was noticeably distress - no vocalizations, the hen was gasping, shallow breathing and that was the end.

I did a necropsy and found the cavity filled (1cup+) with a urine like liquid (pale yellow) but no smell, intestines were full/impacted and I looked but could not find any sign of rupture - crop was not impacted but the gizzard was full - no egg signs - no discoloration of heart/liver and no signs of any tumors.

I was doing research and found information on Egg Yolk Peritonitis - I think this could be the cause of the illness. What I don't understand is the fluid accumulation - is that from rupture? Would the infection have smelled? Should I have drained the fluid? Am I missing something - any information would be appreciated.

The birds get Layena feed, some scratch + yogurt + ACV + Forco + kitchen scraps (carrot peels, cantalope rinds, etc) in the morning and they free range in the afternoon and eat lots of worms from the compost pile - I stopped the bread when I read about yeast infections in the crop.


Thanks

Pictures sure would help..I am really sorry about your loss..
I am glad you did an autopsy. I wish more would do them. They can really give you some answers. If you butcher chickens for food, when you do an autopsy you can tell what is different. You might not know what it is exactly.but you simply know. The additional fluid is edema from heart disease possibly. This is a guess and speculation. With out pictures I can't tell. She was old. Most chickens are not intended to live over a year. You raise them, they lay eggs for a year and you make soup. That is a good life for a hatchery chicken. It still tastes good and it gave you breakfast for a year.
You did nothing wrong and probably many things perfect. A chickens life is short. You can extend them from good care..some can live for 5, 6 years, most will not with out complications...Welcome to the group..and please post more..

pcappy2 - I think you asked me to let you know when I started ff with my chicks...

They have been on it now for almost 2 weeks and are staying pretty clean. What I did was use a little glass bowl that I had a plastic "tupperware" lid for. I actually cut a portion out of the lid for them to eat from. This cut down on them being able to walk around in the ff, thus getting covered in it. I also mix a little bit of the dry crumbles with the ff, so that it's not a big runny mess but more of an oatmeal or even a little drier than oatmeal. Hope this helps!

The bowl I'm talking about is in the upper center of photo...
I did end up adding another bowl (right bottom) that I didn't have a lid for, but adding the dry to the ff still keeps them pretty clean.

cute chicks

 

[delisha]

I know what i have as far as color because it is written on thee egg shells..however i do not know what egg shell belongs to what chick..except the white.

 

[TeriO]

Oh they are so darling. Cutest ever.

 

[countrygirl74]

Oh they are so darling. Cutest ever.

X2 Delisha!!

 

[aoxa]

X2 Delisha!!

x3!

You have some blues.


Buff


Partridge



I see 2 buffs, 2 blues, 1 partridge and 2 whites.

The lighter blue could be a lavender (self blue).

 

[OohLaLa]

Great pics of family and birds I'm in Georgia,,,my hubby is Canadian.

 

[Eggcessive]

Hello - question on distended abdomen,

I lost my Rhode Island Red today and am trying to understand what happened.

I am new to backyard chickens and have been caring for 5 chickens for about 2 years - I got the chickens from a family that could care for them any longer - Australop, Plymouth Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, bantam Wyandotte (I think) and a Rhode Island Red.

The RIR (3 years old - molted once) started showing signs of illness about 2 days ago (Thursday 3/7), lethargic then on Friday loss of appetite, Saturday (3/9) I found the RIR on the floor of the coop with leathery shell and what appeared to be egg (color was not as yellow and very runny) and the hen had not layed since Tuesday. I watched the hen and noticed a distended abdomen - thinking the hen was egg bound I gave it a warm bath for an hour while massaging the abdomen hoping for a discharge but none came. By late afternoon, the hen was classic, head down, tail feathers down and that drowsy demeanor (what teachers see in their students during a lecture). Gave the hen a warm place for the night. Today (Sunday 3/10) the RIR was worse - immobile, difficult walking when prodded and the abdomen was noticeably swollen - I tried to feel for an egg but the swelling was spongy - I tried exploring the vent with my finger (first experience) did not detect anything like an egg but it did feel firm and I do remember thinking it might be an obstruction so I went back to the bath and the massage - no results and by this time the hen was noticeably distress - no vocalizations, the hen was gasping, shallow breathing and that was the end.

I did a necropsy and found the cavity filled (1cup+) with a urine like liquid (pale yellow) but no smell, intestines were full/impacted and I looked but could not find any sign of rupture - crop was not impacted but the gizzard was full - no egg signs - no discoloration of heart/liver and no signs of any tumors.

I was doing research and found information on Egg Yolk Peritonitis - I think this could be the cause of the illness. What I don't understand is the fluid accumulation - is that from rupture? Would the infection have smelled? Should I have drained the fluid? Am I missing something - any information would be appreciated.

The birds get Layena feed, some scratch + yogurt + ACV + Forco + kitchen scraps (carrot peels, cantalope rinds, etc) in the morning and they free range in the afternoon and eat lots of worms from the compost pile - I stopped the bread when I read about yeast infections in the crop.


Thanks

I have heard of others here on BYC having to drain abdomens of fluid that accumulates after a hen becomes an internal layer and has peritonitis--Speckled Hen comes to mind as posting about that in the past. Apparently they eventually die from it, so you may be better off that she didn't suffer. So sorry.

 

[Sally8]

Here is a pic of 2 new babies today. The chicken is a White Leghorn mix and the turkey is a cross between a Royal Palm and a bronze/Royal Palm. Before I got Chuck and Rosie I was told that poults spend the few months of life trying to find ways to end it. At this age, they are not terribly bright.

 

[AlCamus]

You never realize just how much you don't know until you tackle the project - I got chickens because I wanted a 'simple life' but I am quickly realizing that the simple life is not.

"Pictures" , yes - on my check list for my next 'moment of experience' and pictures is common sense; now; but pictures had for me the connotation as memory keepers and I was not in that state of mind when dissecting my RIR.

There were no eggs in the ovum and I did not see any yolk clusters which is what I read may be present with egg yolk peritonitis (EYP). I have been reading more and found information on abdominal ascites which matches the description of the liquid I found - "cloudy and light yellow" with no smell - but where the article states that you normally find 1-2 oz, I found well over 8+ oz. I don't have experience butchering chickens but I have experience with rabbits as my daughters bred them for 4-H and to sell. I have seen tumors and liver disease in the rabbits so that experience led me to believe that the heart and liver of the RIR was okay ( no spots, no tumors and no discoloration (color was red - no green or pale coloring). So my guess is that this was an infection EYP leading to an accumulation of fluid (ascites) which distressed the internal organs.

I am not sure of the infection as EYP can be sterile and you might be able to drain the fluid enough for the bird to recover (or at least that was one blog's advice). Learning, learning, learning - I now need to learn how to take their temp as that is another vital sign to determine infection. Also, learning about breeds and that not all chickens are the same and that you can select a breed that will give you longevity with egg laying (don't need all the eggs at once!)

I don't think there was much I could do - my sister (who also raises chickens) suggested the hen could be a red sex link which is interesting because I found a thread in BYC where a 3 yr old red sex link had this problem - and being new, mistaken breed identity is possible.

Thanks for the advice and comments - my documentation skills is improving with my knowledge

 

[redbudchix]

I had a local farm store oder the Fiber Gold. It took forever to get here...heck, so long....I forgot I ordered it. It's pricey, but I think for use in my brooder, it's worth it. Check with any of the feed stores and see if they will order for you. Make sure it's the one with NO molasses. I'm expecting good things with the stuff...I'll update after I get my chicks on Friday.