URGENT hen with potential water belly not eating or drinking

[Belovedturkey]

I stoped soaking her, the poop is almost all off of her, ever since I picked her up I could feel something hard on her abdomen at first I thought I was more poop but I looked at her more closely and the hard spot is under her abdomen and it’s inside her, it feels a bit flat for an egg but I can’t be sure. I tried to take a picture I circled where the hard area is. There is also a hard bump on that area that you can see on her but I’m not sure if you can see it in the picture or if that a normal bone.

 

[Belovedturkey]

I squirted some electrolytes in her beak, and made her some mash for tonight. It’s really late and she seems better, so atleast trying to move and looking around. So I put her to bed for tonight, and I’m going to offer her scrambled eggs and give her more electrolytes in the morning.

 

[Belovedturkey]

When I woke up this morning, she was the same as she went to bed. She’s still bloated and can’t walk I wasn’t able to get her to eat any mush or drink on her own but I was able to get her to eat any mush piece of scrambled up and I squirted some electrolytes into her beak and she drank some of them, I stopped when she started pulling away and looking like she was tired of me.

 

[Debbie292d]

I stoped soaking her, the poop is almost all off of her, ever since I picked her up I could feel something hard on her abdomen at first I thought I was more poop but I looked at her more closely and the hard spot is under her abdomen and it’s inside her, it feels a bit flat for an egg but I can’t be sure. I tried to take a picture I circled where the hard area is. There is also a hard bump on that area that you can see on her but I’m not sure if you can see it in the picture or if that a normal bone.View attachment 4161882

It could be that she's so emaciated her keel bone is protruding.

She couldn't be egg bound this long. It never hurts to give them a calcium pill if in doubt though, and in case she's got a part of an egg or something stuck in her. If you have any calcium +D around 400 iu, that's what's recommended but whatever you have, even a Tums should help if she's got reproductive issues.

 

[Belovedturkey]

It could be that she's so emaciated her keel bone is protruding.

View attachment 4162091

She couldn't be egg bound this long. It never hurts to give them a calcium pill if in doubt though, and in case she's got a part of an egg or something stuck in her. If you have any calcium +D around 400 iu, that's what's recommended but whatever you have, even a Tums should help if she's got reproductive issues.

I have calcium pills, but they’re very big so can I discover them in water. I have tums, but does it need to be a certain type or do I have to make sure there isn’t a certain ingredient?

 

[D Uccle Uncle]

Crushing either is fine. I've never heard that Tums might contain ingredients harmful to chickens.

 

[Belovedturkey]

Crushing either is fine. I've never heard that Tums might contain ingredients harmful to chickens.

Ok, I just wanted to make sure because I think Benadryl does and I had to use it once

 

[Debbie292d]

I have calcium pills, but they’re very big so can I discover them in water. I have tums, but does it need to be a certain type or do I have to make sure there isn’t a certain ingredient?

Try get her to take the calcium whole. Chickens eat mice and snakes whole. Hold her in your left arm like holding a football. Have the pill in your left hand, and with the right hand, gently pull down on her wattles. Her beak will open. Put the pill in and make sure she doesn't shake it out. She'll swallow it. If you're worried about it still, break it in two and do this twice.

 

[D Uccle Uncle]

Breaking up the calcium will allow it to be absorbed faster. Is this a problem? Or is there concern that the bird could aspirate dissolved calcium?

 

[Belovedturkey]

Try get her to take the calcium whole. Chickens eat mice and snakes whole. Hold her in your left arm like holding a football. Have the pill in your left hand, and with the right hand, gently pull down on her wattles. Her beak will open. Put the pill in and make sure she doesn't shake it out. She'll swallow it. If you're worried about it still, break it in two and do this twice.

Ok I will try this