*Update - Unsuccessful Spay. Anyone have experience with Suprelorin implant and/or spay? Egg yolk pe

[Luvmy9hens]

Thank you!!!
I'll get to work on the lighting this weekend, and looking forward to your picture!

Here are pictures of the installed light and the box from the full spectrum light:

I ran all over the place trying to find this stuff. Hope I can save you from an afternoon of chasing around from store to store. The Aqueon aquarium light was on sale at Pet Smart but I could have gotten it cheaper elsewhere. The cord and plug are separate from the light fixture. One end plugs into the fixture, the other end into the wall. Very convenient. The fixture comes with a cover for the bulb. Don't use it as that will block the full spectrum rays. I folded mine back after doing some online research. Even a screen will reduce the bulb's intended purpose.

 

[kculbert]

I've had two with egg peritonitis, both Golden Comets. I posted earlier on this thread. One, Honeybun, finally died from it. Her oviduct got inflamed from the infected egg in it, then more backed up behind it, it spilled over inside her. I took her to an avian vet who gave her a long acting antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. (If you live near Cincinnati, OH, Dr. Dahlhausen in Milford is a good avian vet. A long drive for us, but it was a relief when I found myself in a waiting room full of birds instead of cats and dogs.) She got better, took her back the following week, and he thought she was doing well, gave her another shot. We went on vacation and our daughter watched the farm. She kept a close eye on her, but I guess Honeybun was hiding it from her. Should have just had her take her back to the vet that week to be sure all was ok. When we got back, I took one look at her and knew it was back. Took her back to the vet who tried a different anti-biotic that works well at reducing inflammation in the oviduct. He thought she would make it. On Thursday, she didn't want to eat much. On Friday she wouldn't eat unless we fed her, bite by bite. Her droppings had become bright yellow, not curdled. Called the vet to update, they said they couldn't get her in until Monday. We managed to keep her alive over the weekend. First thing Monday am I was there with her. They kept her for 3 days and tube fed her, gave her sub-q fluids. Anti-biotics, etc. She just wasn't responding. The yellow poop was because her liver was infected/inflamed. The vet didn't think she would survive surgery. I decided to put her down rather than risk her dying in surgery. They gave her the shot and then I held her and talked to her and pet her while she drifted off to sleep. It was so peaceful. At the end she opened her eyes and looked around, saw me, looked at me for a few seconds, and calmly fell asleep. Of course I cried so hard I couldn't see straight for two days. And the unbelievable...they didn't charge me anything. At all. That made me cry even more.

The other, Sweetpea, I caught early and gave her penicillin shots and some Meloxicam (Metacam? an anti-inflammatory) that I had. She got better, then worse, so I gave her Ciprofloxacin that I had, 1/4 of a 500 mg tablet seems to work with my chickens. We kept her inside without much light (not completely dark, just no lights on). She got better and is now molting. So far, no more problems. She has been devouring crushed eggshells. I sprinkle them outside the barn when we let them out to forage at night. Some want them, some don't. I'm assuming the molt has stopped her from producing eggs. I've been taking her of the run and letting her eat her fill without rude interruption, and she is losing her boniness. I hope she recovers without relapse. If she does continue to have the problem, I will get the implant. Her health is more important to me than another egg.

I appreciate the description of the surgery/recovery time. Does anyone know the cost of the implant?

So sorry about Honeybun : ( You did all you could and were there for her passing. She couldn't have asked for a better life. It is so sad to lose them, particularly over an egg issue. I don't understand how it can be that I take such good care of my girls yet I am dealing with egg issues!

I'm not sure if anyone has answered your implant question yet, but it cost me around $500. They put my chicken under to do it so it was like a surgery.

 

[kculbert]

So sorry to hear about Honeybun...poor girl. My eyes teared up as I was reading her (your) story

I lost my Mille Fleur D'Uccle hen (Sylvia) that was sick. She died Saturday afternoon around 4:30. I don't know for sure if it was related to egg laying as upon thorough inspection, she had multiple growths under and close to her beak. They looked like small tumors. Not sure if they were internal as well which would have limited her ability to eat. I did bring her to the vet. She was very weak. I should have put her down while I was there. She died within a few hours of returning home.

The vet verified what I had said - no abdominal swelling, clear eyes, good breathing, very thin - 1.5lbs. He wanted an update today and was hoping that she would be doing better. I have to call him and give him the news.

I find that having a bottle of Cal-Nate and administering a dose weekly has greatly improved Ellie's health. She laid her latest egg last night. The shell was normal.

Since there are so many BYC subscribers who ARE having this problem, it is my belief that the "layer feed" is deficient of the proper balance of calcium. Although it is recommended that oyster shell be given, many will not touch it. So... the idea of administering liquid calcium 1x/week seems like good preventive medicine.

I have been out of town and am just now reading this. I am so sorry about Sylvia! I have left the vet many times with one of my pets, only to have it pass away later and been filled with regret. They always seem to rally a little bit at the vet so I feel hopeful that there's a chance. I like to think that there is some comfort in passing away at home and that I didn't make a mistake.

I need to take my Ella in and get a prescription for Cal-Nate, though yesterday she laid an almost perfect egg. It was a little wonky at the tip and I can tell the shell is still on the thin side but it could pass for a normal egg if you don't look too closely.

 

[Luvmy9hens]

I hope this thread keeps on going... It seems that there are many issues with egg laying and I, for one, am convinced that the commercial feeds are in part, responsible. Although the veterinarians keep insisting that the birds be on a layer pellet diet, they lay thin shelled eggs regardless. It is more than coincidental that so many of us are having problems with thin-shelled eggs regardless of the availability of oyster shell.

Bottom line: Thin-shelled eggs are caused by a lack of calcium attributed to either diet, or insufficient vitamin D intake. I am not sure that hens are at their optimum health when solely raised on a commercial feed diet. Always best to supplement. I also feed yogurt, romaine lettuce greens, tomato, etc. as well as add a vitamin supplement to the drinking water. Full spectrum lighting is important for hens that do not receive direct sunlight as they need to manufacture vitamin D to absorb calcium.



PS: Kimberly - You will love the Cal-Nate. I wish that I would have known about this years ago. The vet would only give injections. I had no idea that I could get a supply to have on hand. It has worked really well. Ellie is not a regular egg layer but I keep an eye on her posture. When the tail is either straight out or slightly down, I give her a dose of Cal-Nate and within a day, she lays a perfect egg. At $13.95/bottle, the Cal-Nate is a bargain compared to multiple trips to the vet!

AS far as Sylvia, she was the lowest ranking hen and always a bit skittish. The vet bill was over $100 just to have her die within a few hours.

The little chick with the bad leg (still no name) is doing quite well. She does not let her disability get in the way of anything!

 

[kculbert]

I've been doing lots of reading and one of my hens got the Suprelorin implant but the third time it didn't have any effect on her - she's been laying eggs. I followed the thread and you mentioned about Cal-Nate 23% to administer to your hen 1 time per week. Can I ask how long have you been giving this to her? Has she laid better eggs (good shell)? My hen has a history of laying very thin shell, and no shell egg but given the implant's failure to stop her from laying, I'm now having to see how I can better assist her with absorbing the calcium. She does eat some oyster shell, but I'm resolved to think that her body doesn't process the calcium well.

Thank you for your help!

I am so freaked out to hear that the implant stopped working for your hen! Did the your vet say that was normal? I had just assumed I would keep using it on my girl and never have to worry about her egg laying problems again.

 

[Wol1]

Thank you. That's expensive for six months. Sigh. Sweetpea is doing well now, so I'll keep my fingers crossed. I'll be happy when I see her lay an egg!

 

[missypebble]

I had the visit with the vet about the third implant that didn't work. He didn't seem to think that it was "normal", but said it does happen. Since there's hardly anyone here (in/ around my area in Texas) that paid to have a hen to get an implant, he doesn't know for sure if my hen's case was normal....However, he said to buy fake eggs and put them in her laying basket so she wouldn't lay as much. He said to do this for the next 2 - 3 months and see how my hen responds to this. Then, he can give my hen the double dose strength if need. Currently, my vet is doing the implant for $190, and I know this is not cheap. My hen has been laying every other day and I'm going to try the full spectrum lighting as suggested above, and Cal-Nate. My vet also mentioned there's a chance the tumor is the reason the implant stopped working on my hen. I'm hoping this isn't the case, but I don't know until he performed ultra sound on my hen. I haven't decided to do that yet....

 

[missypebble]

Thank you!!! I'll get to the store later this afternoon! Btw, my vet hasn't given me the "green light" for the Cal-Nate bottle....I've been waiting, so hopefully, he'll respond...

 

[kculbert]

I hope this thread keeps going too. I had a really hard time finding much information on here other than the standard "give them access to oyster shells" response. I think it is much more complicated than that. It's nice to have company on this journey. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so we can learn from each other.

 

[IceAngel]

Sorry to read stories that end sadly.

So we have read about spaying and implants but has anyone done any research on Birth Control for birds?.....or is that a question for my Stupid Questions Thread?

Ovulation can be controlled hormonally in mammals. Rather than risk spaying, perhaps there is a hormone that can stop egg laying.