Hi all,
I have a hen that has been off for a few weeks. I am wondering if she is developing water belly but don't know how to tell or what, if anything else, I should/could do for her. I don't know if I should poke her to see if she would drain or if I should just observer her. Her belly isn't dragging the ground or too stretched out skin wise. She isn't struggling to breathe so I many be worried about nothing and her belly just looks a bit large due to her weight loss. I don't notice her waddling when she walks. She does preen. She has been inside for the last 5 days as one of her sisters started picking on her at night on the roost. I am wondering, should I switch them to a slightly lower protein feed? I have read that high protein diet can cause this issue.
Let me know if any more information or pics are needed.
TIA!
Her data is as follows:
Basics:
Age: 2 yo
Breed: Sapphire Gem
Feed: Nature Wise Egg Producer 21% protein
Treats/snacks/supplements: Occasional BSF, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, zuchinni
Cooped or free-range? Lives in a large coop w 10 sisters (8x8), large run, (old 2 car open carport converted), has a north, south and 2 playpens (10x5) she has access to also. So free range-ish but protected from predators.
Any new birds in the last 6 months? No
Any vaccines? No
Symptoms:
Second time in 2 months with these symptoms. Low appetite/energy. Has lost weight. Keel bone very easy to feel when picked up. Feathers are very soft and full. Not molting. Was holding tail down a week ago, but now does hold it up when laying down. Napping a lot. When awake she seems alert however. She was staying with flock, but laying down while they foraged. Kept up with them as they moved around, but would lay down among them. Able to get up on roost with them at night. Crop was VERY small but firm in evening, so I gave her some digestive enzymes/probiotics to help it along. Was empty in morning. No mites/lice. Her comb is always flopped due to being attacked when she was young during an integration disaster. Her crop looks full in the full body pic, but she is just puffed up due to just having a spa day (bath) and is finishing up drying under a heat lamp.
I thought it might be the heat so just observed her. She then stopped eating a week ago and didn't care to always be around the flock. She had EVERY symptom of EYP so she was back on broad spectrum anti-biotic for the last 7 days. Today is last dose. She seems to have a bit more energy as she fights me now when I am giving her her pill.
For how long? Approx 2 weeks
Changes or progression since onset? Seems to be stable-ish, maybe improving as of today a bit in appetite when offered sunflower seeds, zuchinni or tomato. Won't eat her feed though.
Any new birds added in last 6 months? No
Any deaths in flock in last month? No
Previous illness? Yes. Laid 2 lash eggs approx 3-4 weeks ago and was put on Tribissen for 7 days. Passed a small amount of tissue at end of dosage. Vet said it could be the infection working itself out. She seemed to be eating better and getting back to normal, but got lethargic again about 2 weeks ago. No blood test ran.
If yes, what was wrong, when, and how did you treat it? She was lethargic, isolating, not eating, tail down, runny poop, pale comb, breast bone was getting prominent.
Treated with Tribrissen for possible bacterial infection 7 days, vet did not specify. Did improve for about 2 weeks.
Checkup: This info is per current condition.
Eyes: Clear and alert
Normal iris color? Yes
Normal pupil shape? Yes
Pupil reaction to light? Yes
Face and comb: Good color. Seems to get a little blue at back upper edges when out from under the heat lamp, but A/C is running in house so it may just be cold in here for her.
Normal color? Yes
Pale or dark? Med red intensity
Mouth: Clear, no pus or infection.
Obstructions? None
Odor to breath? None
Crop - emptying normally? From what I can tell as she is still not eating much but a little more than she was at beginning of week.
Impacted, sour, pendulous? No
Keel bone - normal or prominent? I would say she's on the beginning side of being prominent. This has been progressing over about a month or so due to lack of appetite.
Abdominal swelling or tenderness? Doesn't seem tender when examined. It is hard to tell since her Keel bone is more prominent than it should be.
Legs and feet - injuries? Bumbles? None
Eggs - last one when? Was it normal? approx a year ago. Yes.
Poop - normal looking? Unusual? Is a bit runny still. Improving from very watery, sometimes black to a greenish brown with a pelleted consistency.
Vent discharge or odor? None
Date and result of last fecal test? None
I have a hen that has been off for a few weeks. I am wondering if she is developing water belly but don't know how to tell or what, if anything else, I should/could do for her. I don't know if I should poke her to see if she would drain or if I should just observer her. Her belly isn't dragging the ground or too stretched out skin wise. She isn't struggling to breathe so I many be worried about nothing and her belly just looks a bit large due to her weight loss. I don't notice her waddling when she walks. She does preen. She has been inside for the last 5 days as one of her sisters started picking on her at night on the roost. I am wondering, should I switch them to a slightly lower protein feed? I have read that high protein diet can cause this issue.
Let me know if any more information or pics are needed.
TIA!
Her data is as follows:
Basics:
Age: 2 yo
Breed: Sapphire Gem
Feed: Nature Wise Egg Producer 21% protein
Treats/snacks/supplements: Occasional BSF, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, zuchinni
Cooped or free-range? Lives in a large coop w 10 sisters (8x8), large run, (old 2 car open carport converted), has a north, south and 2 playpens (10x5) she has access to also. So free range-ish but protected from predators.
Any new birds in the last 6 months? No
Any vaccines? No
Symptoms:
Second time in 2 months with these symptoms. Low appetite/energy. Has lost weight. Keel bone very easy to feel when picked up. Feathers are very soft and full. Not molting. Was holding tail down a week ago, but now does hold it up when laying down. Napping a lot. When awake she seems alert however. She was staying with flock, but laying down while they foraged. Kept up with them as they moved around, but would lay down among them. Able to get up on roost with them at night. Crop was VERY small but firm in evening, so I gave her some digestive enzymes/probiotics to help it along. Was empty in morning. No mites/lice. Her comb is always flopped due to being attacked when she was young during an integration disaster. Her crop looks full in the full body pic, but she is just puffed up due to just having a spa day (bath) and is finishing up drying under a heat lamp.
I thought it might be the heat so just observed her. She then stopped eating a week ago and didn't care to always be around the flock. She had EVERY symptom of EYP so she was back on broad spectrum anti-biotic for the last 7 days. Today is last dose. She seems to have a bit more energy as she fights me now when I am giving her her pill.
For how long? Approx 2 weeks
Changes or progression since onset? Seems to be stable-ish, maybe improving as of today a bit in appetite when offered sunflower seeds, zuchinni or tomato. Won't eat her feed though.
Any new birds added in last 6 months? No
Any deaths in flock in last month? No
Previous illness? Yes. Laid 2 lash eggs approx 3-4 weeks ago and was put on Tribissen for 7 days. Passed a small amount of tissue at end of dosage. Vet said it could be the infection working itself out. She seemed to be eating better and getting back to normal, but got lethargic again about 2 weeks ago. No blood test ran.
If yes, what was wrong, when, and how did you treat it? She was lethargic, isolating, not eating, tail down, runny poop, pale comb, breast bone was getting prominent.
Treated with Tribrissen for possible bacterial infection 7 days, vet did not specify. Did improve for about 2 weeks.
Checkup: This info is per current condition.
Eyes: Clear and alert
Normal iris color? Yes
Normal pupil shape? Yes
Pupil reaction to light? Yes
Face and comb: Good color. Seems to get a little blue at back upper edges when out from under the heat lamp, but A/C is running in house so it may just be cold in here for her.
Normal color? Yes
Pale or dark? Med red intensity
Mouth: Clear, no pus or infection.
Obstructions? None
Odor to breath? None
Crop - emptying normally? From what I can tell as she is still not eating much but a little more than she was at beginning of week.
Impacted, sour, pendulous? No
Keel bone - normal or prominent? I would say she's on the beginning side of being prominent. This has been progressing over about a month or so due to lack of appetite.
Abdominal swelling or tenderness? Doesn't seem tender when examined. It is hard to tell since her Keel bone is more prominent than it should be.
Legs and feet - injuries? Bumbles? None
Eggs - last one when? Was it normal? approx a year ago. Yes.
Poop - normal looking? Unusual? Is a bit runny still. Improving from very watery, sometimes black to a greenish brown with a pelleted consistency.
Vent discharge or odor? None
Date and result of last fecal test? None
