We have a Guinea Fowl hen that is just over a year old. Soon after she started laying eggs this spring she developed a saggy belly. B/c she otherwise acted fine I didn't do anything. She has been fine for months and months. About two months ago she quit going up into the rafters to roost with the other birds. She roosted in a nest box. I know, bad behavior, but again acted fine otherwise so I let her be. This past weekend we were camping and when we came home she wouldn't stand up. She roosted on the floor Sunday night. Monday night I made her stand up and realized her leg band had gotten wrapped around her foot. So we caught her and removed it. Figured she'd be fine in a day or two. But last night she still wasn't moving around. But she does get up to go eat or water and obviously moves around the coop b/c we find her in different spots on the floor. She has laid regularly up until the past week, but it's been very hot and our flock all decreased laying. She doesn't seem to have lost weight and only the past few days stopped pushing her way in for their nightly apple treat for returning to the coop.
After reading up and watching some videos we decided we needed to tap her belly to drain fluid, thinking that was the problem. Then she waddles her fat butt out of the coop today with the rest of the flock. Still decided to try removing some fluid. But the tap returned cloudy pinkish fluid. So we stopped. She tolerated it well and is out laying in the yard with the other hot birds and is eating grass. She isn't moving around as much as they are, but hadn't been out of the coop for days so this was an improvement.
I don't think this is egg peritonitis b/c its been going on way too long. Although I have noticed the past few days her poop is very watery and egg-like (yellow and white) looking.
Thoughts on what could be happening and what we might do? We were thinking maybe we should have drained more fluid even if it wasn't clear. All ideas are greatly appreciated. (I've attached a pic of the fluid we drew off with sweet Ester in the background.)
After reading up and watching some videos we decided we needed to tap her belly to drain fluid, thinking that was the problem. Then she waddles her fat butt out of the coop today with the rest of the flock. Still decided to try removing some fluid. But the tap returned cloudy pinkish fluid. So we stopped. She tolerated it well and is out laying in the yard with the other hot birds and is eating grass. She isn't moving around as much as they are, but hadn't been out of the coop for days so this was an improvement.
I don't think this is egg peritonitis b/c its been going on way too long. Although I have noticed the past few days her poop is very watery and egg-like (yellow and white) looking.
Thoughts on what could be happening and what we might do? We were thinking maybe we should have drained more fluid even if it wasn't clear. All ideas are greatly appreciated. (I've attached a pic of the fluid we drew off with sweet Ester in the background.)
