Hey Guys,
Long time no post and I wish it were under better circumstances.
One of my dear hens has been struggling with a swollen abdomen for some time. - She's a 2.5 year old brown shaver, has gone through her moult and not gone back on the lay - not suspecting she ever will again considering- It seems like winter has finally kicked in and we got down to near freezing last night (typically, it's quite warm here).
She didn't seem to have a good time last night, had to help her into the (elevated)coop at dusk and she did not roost with the others, instead slept by the door. I found her laying down and a bit dusky this morning while letting them out and prepped her an area inside to get her sheltered and warm.
Left her on the chicken porch while getting things together and she seemed to be interested in the fresh food\water I brought out for the other girls, but that distended belly was obviously making things hard on her. I've brought her inside and set her up on a towel-wrapped seedmat to warm her up and left her there digging into breakfast (she still has an appetite and had come around quite a bit after having a chance to wake up).
I know there's a lot of contention on whether to drain or not to drain - and I think that may be the step we're at now.
In regards to her illness - I'm suspecting tumors or organ issues. (she was fully vaccinated as a chick, so more likely due to genetics than illness.)
We did lose one of her sisters about a month ago - different symptoms - she suddenly stopped eating and wasted away over the course of a week - she had finished her moult and was likely due to go back into lay as it had seemed we were going to skip winter. She'd had salpingitis when she first went into lay, so highly suspect of a reproductive disorder. Her color stayed good the entire time - suffered either a heart attack or stroke when I was attempting to give her a lunch tube feed after a successful vitamin\nectar feed that morning - didn't get any food down her. I think it was the stress of being handled while she was so delicate that finally got her.
This girl has had her water belly for some time (1-2 months as I've been monitoring her) and it does slow her down, but she still flocks, eats and is able to move up and down the coop with minor discomfort. Her abdomen is distended and firm - like a beach ball - and she is somewhat puffed up, legs turned in slightly to support herself. Her comb is small but the color is good. She seems a bit lean, but it's always hard to tell with shavers as their keels are always so pronounced. I suspect she's possibly had runny yellow stool, but hard to tell with the rough weather we've had lately. Since she's in isolation today, I should be able to confirm when I get back. (Yellow is indicative of liver issues, yeah?)
I have access to sterile needles (will need to confirm the gauge when I get back) and a few other supplies - 1 and 3 ml syringes (maybe a 15 or 20) and two 60lm. As well as some excess vinyl tubing (for tube feeding with the 60ml). I've been volunteering at our local bird rescue (native birds only) for almost a year now so am pretty experienced with handling injured and critical birds; am to the point of having done a handful of subcut injections, so feel confident in my ability to handle a needle too. There's a vet there I can tap for a bit of guidance, though she's not super-experienced with birds and hasn't needed to drain any just yet.
Any recommendations on how I should proceed? I'm thinking reducing the fluid build up will be able to improve her quality of life, though I'm realistic that this is eventually going to get her (am suspecting summer might be a bit too much for her). We only have one of the 3 original shavers still in good health and I can't recall if she's moulted yet- looking a bit tatty - but in high spirits and definitely my most energetic girl. The rest of the flock are all healthy and happy.
It's an uphill battle fighting bad genetics; makes culling at 2 seem like a mercy.
Any advice on how I should proceed from here?
Thanks,
Lizzy
Long time no post and I wish it were under better circumstances.
One of my dear hens has been struggling with a swollen abdomen for some time. - She's a 2.5 year old brown shaver, has gone through her moult and not gone back on the lay - not suspecting she ever will again considering- It seems like winter has finally kicked in and we got down to near freezing last night (typically, it's quite warm here).
She didn't seem to have a good time last night, had to help her into the (elevated)coop at dusk and she did not roost with the others, instead slept by the door. I found her laying down and a bit dusky this morning while letting them out and prepped her an area inside to get her sheltered and warm.
Left her on the chicken porch while getting things together and she seemed to be interested in the fresh food\water I brought out for the other girls, but that distended belly was obviously making things hard on her. I've brought her inside and set her up on a towel-wrapped seedmat to warm her up and left her there digging into breakfast (she still has an appetite and had come around quite a bit after having a chance to wake up).
I know there's a lot of contention on whether to drain or not to drain - and I think that may be the step we're at now.
In regards to her illness - I'm suspecting tumors or organ issues. (she was fully vaccinated as a chick, so more likely due to genetics than illness.)
We did lose one of her sisters about a month ago - different symptoms - she suddenly stopped eating and wasted away over the course of a week - she had finished her moult and was likely due to go back into lay as it had seemed we were going to skip winter. She'd had salpingitis when she first went into lay, so highly suspect of a reproductive disorder. Her color stayed good the entire time - suffered either a heart attack or stroke when I was attempting to give her a lunch tube feed after a successful vitamin\nectar feed that morning - didn't get any food down her. I think it was the stress of being handled while she was so delicate that finally got her.
This girl has had her water belly for some time (1-2 months as I've been monitoring her) and it does slow her down, but she still flocks, eats and is able to move up and down the coop with minor discomfort. Her abdomen is distended and firm - like a beach ball - and she is somewhat puffed up, legs turned in slightly to support herself. Her comb is small but the color is good. She seems a bit lean, but it's always hard to tell with shavers as their keels are always so pronounced. I suspect she's possibly had runny yellow stool, but hard to tell with the rough weather we've had lately. Since she's in isolation today, I should be able to confirm when I get back. (Yellow is indicative of liver issues, yeah?)
I have access to sterile needles (will need to confirm the gauge when I get back) and a few other supplies - 1 and 3 ml syringes (maybe a 15 or 20) and two 60lm. As well as some excess vinyl tubing (for tube feeding with the 60ml). I've been volunteering at our local bird rescue (native birds only) for almost a year now so am pretty experienced with handling injured and critical birds; am to the point of having done a handful of subcut injections, so feel confident in my ability to handle a needle too. There's a vet there I can tap for a bit of guidance, though she's not super-experienced with birds and hasn't needed to drain any just yet.
Any recommendations on how I should proceed? I'm thinking reducing the fluid build up will be able to improve her quality of life, though I'm realistic that this is eventually going to get her (am suspecting summer might be a bit too much for her). We only have one of the 3 original shavers still in good health and I can't recall if she's moulted yet- looking a bit tatty - but in high spirits and definitely my most energetic girl. The rest of the flock are all healthy and happy.
It's an uphill battle fighting bad genetics; makes culling at 2 seem like a mercy.
Any advice on how I should proceed from here?
Thanks,
Lizzy
