What Can Go Wrong When a Hen Is Drained?

[rebrascora]

Sorry Clare, I just reread your previous text and see that the fluid was clear..... not sure how I missed that! It is certainly possible that the fluid is from her liver. It may be that her liver is haemorrhaging

There is a slight risk of puncturing the intestine whilst trying to drain even when you know what you are doing because the mass of egg yolks and fluid can constrict and displace the intestines and cause them to be somewhere you would not expect them to be. It was definitely worth trying to drain her from what you have said as it sounds like she was pretty filled up, especially if he puts the implant in the back of her neck and fluid came out there! Usually there is fairly instant relief after draining. Does she feel like she has filled straight back up again.... I read that her crop is now also full but what about her abdomen where he drained her.

Unfortunately it may be that this is just her time.... you have certainly gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep her going this far, but I think her digestive tract may be stopped back if her crop is full and she is straining and only producing a little runny poop. An antibiotic injection is probably the only thing to try now..... no point in giving it orally if her digestive system is slowing down or stopped back.
Good luck!

 

[ClareScifi]

His colleague explained that it is highly unlikely the implant came out, due to the positioning. I can't remember where he said he put the implant. Back of neck? Under the wing? They try to make sure it is under the skin, I think he said. I did hear my vet tell his assistant to hold her wings down, as they were bringing her to me to drain the fluid, which I watched (and I had wondered why he said that to her). Unfortunately, it was clear. I remember asking whether that was fluid from eggs/internal laying, and he said, no, that it was heart/liver related, so I fear she may be at her end, although he seemed to think her chances of recovery were good, better than 50%, as he said last May and September, too. I think he drained out 250, rebrascora.

 

[ClareScifi]

She does not seem to have filled back up, no, Rebrascora, just liquid in her crop. I checked on her, and she is lying down on the hay bales I put in her cage and seems peaceful.

 

[ClareScifi]

Can an antibiotic actually help the digestive system start back up, if it is slowing down?

 

[ClareScifi]

Rebrascora, I found this, and now I wonder whether the "hold her wings down" comment might indicate the implant came out? I know they didn't put gauze over it. The info I found, regarding the implants says, "The needle quite big so be prepared! It is injected under the wing and as chickens preen and flap their wings quite often you need to make sure it stays in as it can come out although it shouldn't if installed correctly but it maybe worth while asking your vet or avian specialist to pop some gauzing over it."

 

[Hamiam]

My hen is about 3 or 4, and last May she was acting sluggish. I took her to the doctor and he gave her a hormone implant and she immediately perked up. I took her for a second one in late September, at which time she seemed just fine. Recently I noticed she was looking fatter than usual, and I picked her up and felt her hard belly. I took her back to the doctor, and he thought she was ready for another hormone implant. This time, though, he thought he should drain her, too, because he said some fluid came out when he implanted the chip... We are 4 days out from the procedures, and she's acting mopey and eating less and less. I am taking her back to the vet tomorrow morning. I noticed her crop seemed squishy and big this morning, and just now, when trying to encourage her to eat some meal worms, I placed her in the tub with them and liquid squirted out of her crop all over me-- clear without a smell. She didn't want any mealworms. I took her back to the run and she tried to poop, but is seemed a strain, and only a small amount came out, runny. I think her digestive system isn't working well. It might be EYP? The vet said he may need to put her on antibiotics tomorrow. He mentioned that sometimes something goes wrong with the draining. Does anyone know exactly what can go wrong? She doesn't feel hot, so I don't think she has an obvious infection. I wonder whether she is at her end, that this third hormone implant won't help?? All opinions appreciated.

Is this happening in the United States? I've never heard of such!

 

[MyHappyGirls]

Sending you lots of love and healing

 

[ClareScifi]

Thanks, MyHappyGirls! I appreciate your support. We are off to the doctor now.

 

[LittlePip21]

The vet said she has ascites, secondary to ectopic laying issues, when he drained her.

hey, I'm so sorry to here your having trouble. I've had several girls with ascites, and I've actually done the draining myself, and had good results. Ascites it's caused by organ failure that causes fluid to build up in the abdomen. I've had my hens with this have clear liquid come out of their mouthed and noses, possibly what's happening with your girl? I will post my account of my last girl bellow, I hope it's helpful to you! The risks are infection and Aciddentaly damaging an organ, but without draining the fluid will put pressure on her lungs and heart, as well as digestive system. This could cause heart attack or restrict her lungs to a degree that she strangled. It's truly a difficult problem, and I'm very sorry you have to go through it but, draining can improve their life for a time and definitely brings relief from the pain. When I drained my girl she would always have a huge brown poop afterward, from all the time she wasn't able to get rid of it because of pressure. Hope this is helpful, and here's my last account, my sunny lived if I recall, 12 months with it, not including time leading up to draining. https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/19204061/

 

[ClareScifi]

Thanks, Little Pip. The doctor says there is nothing to her but bone, she's terribly thin. I asked for antibiotic, thinking I was getting an injection, but they gave me pills, which are going to be terribly difficult to get down her-- penicillin. The worker had trouble with a syringe-- could only get half down her, and with little on her stomach, they will probably hurt her. I got her to eat a little watermelon just now, but I doubt it's digesting. She's drinking quite a bit of electrolyte water. I bought finely shredded cheddar to put her pill in tonight, and I bought some scratch, which seemed to delight her, though I'm not sure how much she actually ate, but she had great fun attempting. She ate 3-4 shreds of soft cat food this morning. She really wants to eat, but without her digestive system working properly, I think it's hopeless. I don't expect her to live long. I couldn't bring myself to put her down. The doctor said the antibiotics had a 50/50 chance of helping her turn the corner, but as someone posted yesterday, unless it's an injection it's unlikely to do any good orally, with her digestive difficulties. But I had to try, I felt. She will no doubt starve to death. I'm going to try bread. Does anyone know what kind of bread chickens like best? I got hot dog buns and a soft loaf. I thought she might prefer to peck at toast, though-- a more crunchy texture like croutons? How about oyster crackers? I also bought some Greek yogurt. I meant to get rice but I forgot. Check-out worker suggested soaking her scratch in apple juice. Said that worked for a neighbor when she couldn't get her hens to eat in winter. Any other ideas?