Unwell hen with dark red comb

[Kykywrig]

We have an unwell bantam Rhode island red, she's probably 3 years old. Her name is red. I can't figure out what's wrong with her though.
At first I noticed she had a penguin like waddle and her abdomen seem more swollen than usual. She hadn't laid in a few days and possibly for a lot longer before that (I'd been away for a month and the house sitter didn't know anything about chickens So she might not have been laying for a while). Her comb was also very dark. Thought she was egg bound, and immediately isolated, gave Epson salt baths, calcium in her water, oil/ Vaseline on her vent, and gentle massages. She's still eating, drinking and pooping (no past bum). I couldn't really feel an egg and no egg past, and it's been 5 days, So I highly doubt she's a bound.

She seemed to perk up a bit, And had less of a waddle so i put her back with the other chickens. She's the runt of the pack and gets bullied a bit, but everyone seemed to get on fine. Have by the end of the day, I saw that she was lying down, dozing off, We're slightly laboured breathing. her crop was empty and she had a few marks on her comb, which I suspect she's been bullied again and isolated from food. I've separated her again and will monitor her over the night.

Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong with her and how to help? Her comb is still very dark red which suggests respiratory or heart issues It might be egg yoke peritonitis, but I can't tell.
Any thoughts or advice would be very welcome! She's our absolute favourite best little girl, but we don't have a vet that takes chickens anywhere near by.

 

[alinas2010]

Welcome to the site. I’m really sorry it is under these circumstances. So sorry Red isn’t feeling well. How is she doing now?

It sounds like you’re correct in thinking this is a circulation issue. Because she hasn’t laid in a while possibly, and because of her stance, I’m willing to bet she has something reproductive going on that is leading the the build up of pressure on her circulatory system.

Since Red seems to have a bulgy abdomen, my guess is she has either a reproductive infection leading to a build up of pus or fluid in her abdomen or some sort of tumor or mass causing the pressure. This may be making it difficult for her to breath and very uncomfortable to stand - hence the penguin stance.

Because she is able to pass droppings, I would not think she is egg bound, but it won’t hurt to give some human vitamin calcium citrate plus d3 300-600 mg. Ensure she is plenty hydrated and has access to her own food and water where no one can bother her (as you have already it sounds like).

Unfortunately there is usually not a lot you can do once their symptoms start showing when it comes to things like this. Trying to drain her abdomen may relieve pressure and allow her to breathe easier. This relief is only temporary and draining again will need to be done eventually. However if the abdomen is filled with anything other than fluid, draining will not work. You can also try around of antibiotics if you have some on hand. If she has a reproductive infection causing these issues, antibiotics can sometimes help them feel better for a bit, but it is generally not a cure, either. Eventually they become ill again with the infection and you would have to try antibiotics again.
It can be up and down like that for a while with reproductive infections.
Sometimes antibiotics will not help an infection because it is too far along, so there is that to think about, also.

Let us know if you have an antibiotic you’d like to try and we can help you with dosing. So sorry she is going through this. I know it is tough to watch. I’ve had a few with reproductive issues and it’s just not fair

 

[Kykywrig]

Welcome to the site. I’m really sorry it is under these circumstances. So sorry Red isn’t feeling well. How is she doing now?

It sounds like you’re correct in thinking this is a circulation issue. Because she hasn’t laid in a while possibly, and because of her stance, I’m willing to bet she has something reproductive going on that is leading the the build up of pressure on her circulatory system.

Since Red seems to have a bulgy abdomen, my guess is she has either a reproductive infection leading to a build up of pus or fluid in her abdomen or some sort of tumor or mass causing the pressure. This may be making it difficult for her to breath and very uncomfortable to stand - hence the penguin stance.

Because she is able to pass droppings, I would not think she is egg bound, but it won’t hurt to give some human vitamin calcium citrate plus d3 300-600 mg. Ensure she is plenty hydrated and has access to her own food and water where no one can bother her (as you have already it sounds like).

Unfortunately there is usually not a lot you can do once their symptoms start showing when it comes to things like this. Trying to drain her abdomen may relieve pressure and allow her to breathe easier. This relief is only temporary and draining again will need to be done eventually. However if the abdomen is filled with anything other than fluid, draining will not work. You can also try around of antibiotics if you have some on hand. If she has a reproductive infection causing these issues, antibiotics can sometimes help them feel better for a bit, but it is generally not a cure, either. Eventually they become ill again with the infection and you would have to try antibiotics again.
It can be up and down like that for a while with reproductive infections.
Sometimes antibiotics will not help an infection because it is too far along, so there is that to think about, also.

Let us know if you have an antibiotic you’d like to try and we can help you with dosing. So sorry she is going through this. I know it is tough to watch. I’ve had a few with reproductive issues and it’s just not fair

Thanks for your generous and compassionate reply. I have oxymav B on hand, but it is probably past it's expiry. It shouldn't be to hard to get more. Draining feels very intimidating and my concern is that the swelling isn't too hot or red and feels more firm than like a fluid build up.
With antibiotics and draining, how long is a hens with reproductive issues or tumours likely to live? Shes still quite perky compared to other fatally ill chickens we've had, so I think we can help her be comfortable and stick around for a while

 

[alinas2010]

Thanks for your generous and compassionate reply. I have oxymav B on hand, but it is probably past it's expiry. It shouldn't be to hard to get more. Draining feels very intimidating and my concern is that the swelling isn't too hot or red and feels more firm than like a fluid build up.
With antibiotics and draining, how long is a hens with reproductive issues or tumours likely to live? Shes still quite perky compared to other fatally ill chickens we've had, so I think we can help her be comfortable and stick around for a while

You’re welcome. I would not drain, either, from what I’ve seen, I do not think the benefits outweigh the risks. The swelling you’re feeling may indeed be pus or a mass, anyways, and attempting to drain would be futile.

If it is an infection, antibiotics may buy more time, but also may not. It could be months, could be a month, could be a year or just weeks. There really isn’t any telling, it just depends on how well the infection responds.

When I treated my hen for a reproductive infection, I used amoxicillin, and the infection cleared up and she got about 4 more months of quality life. Part of that may have been because she quit laying as she got very ill with the reproductive infection. It eventually came back again as her hormones amped up and her abdomen became bulgy again. She never laid again but she did get a bright red comb and squatted, so I’m assuming her hormones played a role in the decline.

I’m one to advocate for helping them be more comfortable if they feel up to living. She will tell you when she isn’t feeling well enough any longer. It can be a sad process dealing with reproductive issues. I am sorry you are going through this with her. I hope with antibiotics she can find some comfort.

Oxymav B is oxytetracycline. Even with it being expired, I wouldn’t worry and would feel comfortable giving it to my chickens. Most drugs are given an expiration date based on how long testing was performed during clinical trials. Basically the drug is guaranteed effective up until the expiration date. It doesn’t always mean it won’t be effective after, it just means it wasn’t tested for the effectiveness after that amount of time (production to expiration date). Some drugs do break down after their expiration date, but imo, it’s worth trying to treat using it still. Anyways here is more information on use of oxytetracycline for chickens, including dosage:
https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/oxytetracycline