Water belly! Help!

[Crhoney90]

I am on my 3rd hen with water belly in the last 8 months. Why does this keep happening? My first to have it was an isa brown. My 2nd was also an isa brown she just passed a few days ago after her 2nd round of it. ( I drained her and she lived almost 3 more months until she got it again) now my leghorn has it. They are all 3.5 years old. Is this just something that happens with age or what?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

ISA browns are bred to crank out as many eggs as possible before they die…which unfortunately means a shorter lifespan. 3-4 years old for ISA Browns is average if not great if they make it that far.

 

[Crhoney90]

ISA browns are bred to crank out as many eggs as possible before they die…which unfortunately means a shorter lifespan. 3-4 years old for ISA Browns is average if not great if they make it that far.

Yeah unfortunately I didn't realize that when I picked them. I'm down to my last isa girl. But thankfully she seems to be in great health

 

[Eggcessive]

How old are the hens you are losing? Do you know what caused the watery belly (ascites) in your hens? Ascites is a sign of liver disease, and may be caused by reproductive disorders, cancer, fatty liver disease, and heart failure (more common in meat birds.) Did you do a necropsy on each bird? I did necropsies on most hens I have lost, and it can be a common finding.