Water Belly symptoms

[ZedikerStation]

Hello all,
Yesterday we found one of our 2-1/2 year old sexlinks outside in the run at dark. She either didn't have the strength or desire to go in. We gave her a good look over and with the exception of her left foot curled under a bit, she checked out okay. We separated her last night in a crate with pine shavings. We gave her 1ml of Nutra Drench with a syringe and a bit of water to chase it. She ate an egg last night as well. Today, she has a swollen and hard belly. The pine shavings are soaked with a very strong ammonia fluid. I'm not 100% sure its water belly because it is pretty hard. Has anyone had this (water belly) with the ammonia discharge? I only have 20 ga. needles on hand and that might be too small to drain if it is in fact water belly.

She got a good soak to clean her up and everything else looks okay. Comb is still a bit shrunken but color is a bit better today

Thoughts???

@azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[azygous]

That strong ammonia smell to her leakage of fluids points egg binding. Give her a calcium tablet right now.

The egg stuck in the reproductive tract blocks the cecum, prevent it from dispersing excess fluids to her body tissues. The result is excessive discharge of evil smelling fluids.

The calcium will help her contractions to push out the egg. Be aware, though, there may be two eggs involved. You will know she's clear when the fluids stop coming from her vent and cecals begin to appear.

This form of calcium is best for this sort of case. Give one tablet directly into her beak, and continue once a day until her egg laying is normal again.

She will get dehydrated from fluid loss so give her access to plenty of water

 

[ZedikerStation]

I am going to go pick up some tablets now. I've always had the powder but it is much too difficult to use. I'm thinking her energy is a bit low as well. What do you think about another dose of nutri-drench or maybe some sugar water?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

A little sugar water and PND shouldn't hurt her.

Is this one that has passed lash material previously?

I'm really not sure if there would be a leakage, strong ammonia smell with water belly. @TwoCrows or @coach723 may have encountered that. But I have had one hen that I put down that had a strong ammonia smell - she had minimal fluid in the abdomen along with what I deemed as ovarian cancer. So...I would take a guess and say "some type" of reproductive issue is starting to show whether cancer, salpingitis (lash), peritonitis, etc. Only way to know would be through necropsy if you lose her.

 

[ZedikerStation]

A little sugar water and PND shouldn't hurt her.

Is this one that has passed lash material previously?

I'm really not sure if there would be a leakage, strong ammonia smell with water belly. @TwoCrows or @coach723 may have encountered that. But I have had one hen that I put down that had a strong ammonia smell - she had minimal fluid in the abdomen along with what I deemed as ovarian cancer. So...I would take a guess and say "some type" of reproductive issue is starting to show whether cancer, salpingitis (lash), peritonitis, etc. Only way to know would be through necropsy if you lose her.

Good memory @Wyorp Rock ... I think we are past the last material. That one has been doing great. This is one of the bigger ones that has never shown any symptoms of anything. I did get 4ml of yellow stuff from her abdomen, but that's not anywhere near the size of her belly.

The last one we lost went to Penn State and the result was Marek's. Obviously they must all have it, but these aren't the symptoms we saw in the one with it. She got a cal. tablet and 2ml of water, so we will wait and see.
Thanks you two! @azygous , has it stopped snowing there yet? LOL...

 

[ZedikerStation]

More information. I just learned that she had diarrhea this morning apparently when being moved outside to the deck. With that piece of information, would you expect she is NOT egg bound? Now I guess it could be internal laying...

Calcium, PND, sugar water all had no effect.

Thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I think I would give her a day or so and see how it goes.

 

[azygous]

Diarrhea isn't too meaningful of itself. It's not enough to pull the panic switch. It also does not give her an all-clear as far as a stuck egg.

 

[ZedikerStation]

We're keeping an eye on her.

 

[ZedikerStation]

She didn't make it.
I'd estimate 48 hours from the time we discovered her struggling. I guess that is consistent with egg binding, but other things as well. I'll open her up in the morning and see if anything is obvious.