Trying to determine if I am dealing with the beginnings of Water Belly

[awagnon]

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

 

[awagnon]

HELP!! It's been 5 days since she went back out with her sisters. She is back to not eating ANYTHING. She is losing weight again. Can anyone give me ANY ideas on what to do for her?? Her belly isn't any bigger than it was 5 days ago. She has been able to get up on the roost at night and down in the mornings, but SHE WON'T EAT. Whatever I offer, she looks at it, studies it, smacks it with her closed beak then refuses it. UGH!! I have her back inside due to expecting extreme heat.

 

[coach723]

If your hen has passed lash material then that indicates salpingitis, which is infection/inflammation of the oviduct. It is notoriously resistant to treatment, especially as it gets more advanced. Sadly, they hide the symptoms so well that it's often not known until it is pretty advanced. Baytril (enrofloxacin) is generally the antibiotic most used for it, but again, it's very resistant to treatment. Enrofloxacin is banned for use in laying hens, some vets will prescribe it for a pet. That is what I would ask for if you choose to see the vet again. Over the years I've tried just about every antibiotic and combination and not successfully cured it, the bird eventually succumbs. The antibiotics may have given them some more time, hard to say. I've had some live 18- 24 months once it's known, and some pass much quicker, it's very hard to predict. I leave mine with the flock until they are obviously unwell, go off food and water, isolate themselves, or get attacked by flockmates. Then I euthanize rather than let them suffer.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/

 

[awagnon]

If your hen has passed lash material then that indicates salpingitis, which is infection/inflammation of the oviduct. It is notoriously resistant to treatment, especially as it gets more advanced. Sadly, they hide the symptoms so well that it's often not known until it is pretty advanced. Baytril (enrofloxacin) is generally the antibiotic most used for it, but again, it's very resistant to treatment. Enrofloxacin is banned for use in laying hens, some vets will prescribe it for a pet. That is what I would ask for if you choose to see the vet again. Over the years I've tried just about every antibiotic and combination and not successfully cured it, the bird eventually succumbs. The antibiotics may have given them some more time, hard to say. I've had some live 18- 24 months once it's known, and some pass much quicker, it's very hard to predict. I leave mine with the flock until they are obviously unwell, go off food and water, isolate themselves, or get attacked by flockmates. Then I euthanize rather than let them suffer.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/

Thank you for your response. She was on Enro this past week. Seemed to start to pull out of it, but is back to not eating or drinking. Been giving Poultry Drench with feed puree by tube, but I think it's time to make the decision to end her suffering. I HATE THIS PART but don't want her to suffer. I have no idea the best and most humane way to do this. She's not being picked on, but isn't eating or drinking and is just laying around now although as the flock moves around she slowly moves with them.

 

[coach723]

No one likes this part, honestly.
This is how I do it, for many of the same reason as the author of the article. Cervical dislocation is the fastest and most humane, short of taking to a vet who can use medication.
https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2017/06/the-easiest-way-to-cull-chicken.html

 

[awagnon]

No one likes this part, honestly.
This is how I do it, for many of the same reason as the author of the article. Cervical dislocation is the fastest and most humane, short of taking to a vet who can use medication.
https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2017/06/the-easiest-way-to-cull-chicken.html

I want to do the cervical dislocation method, but I am a senior woman and I am so afraid I won't have enough strength to do it quickly, completely and humanely. This is probably the method I will use. I will have to go and get the supplies today. I wish there was a way to sedate her before I do this.

 

[coach723]

I have found, that ill as they are, once they are upside down in the cone (and you can use a large plastic jug, vinegar, milk, juice etc. with the bottom cut off and the neck cut off just enough for a head to fit through, I hang mine from a barn rafter) they tend to relax. You can also lay her on her back for a minute before hand, that usually calms them as well. I talk to them softly and do everything slowly, so that it's all calm. I face them away from me, get the loppers in place solidly, and one squeeze will do it. I usually put a bucket with some straw in the bottom underneath, just under the level of the head, to catch what drains. There will be a neurological response and they may kick, I just walk away until that stops. But if the spine is severed, it's instant at that point. I keep a pair of loppers that are dedicated to this use only, so they are sharp and ready when needed. Having done it other ways when I first started with chickens, I would never go back to any of those, this has worked best for me. I have found that the anticipation is worse than the actual doing, and once done it's just a relief knowing they are no longer suffering. Just take your time, there is no rush. It gets easier with experience, but I will not say that it's ever actually easy, it's the not so nice part of keeping chickens.