What is this?

[Pampered chicken girl]

Hi, I have a few old birds with ascitite and I've gotten used to draining them. Honestly, I am not the kid who dreamed of growing up to be a vet, I am completely squeamish and not great at such things (I have never been a mom, I have been stepmom, but to no one younger than 12, so I have never learned to treat scrapes and such)

All that to say... I'm the worst case scenario and I have successfully kept some girls alive, happy and scratching up a storm for over 18 months (and counting) with that condition so YOU will be brilliant at it.

There is one thing I learned recently though, the ascitite can have many origins including gastrointestinal infection, reproductive issues or liver problems. If you can figure out which one is at play it makes long-term care easier because you might be able to decrease the rate of re-occurrence.

Feel free to ask for any help I can provide. (Even if it is just a shoulder to cry on the first time you need to do this... First time is the worst! )

Unfortunately, draining her wouldn't be an option

Update:
She seems to be a little more active, still eating, drinking, laying, and doing all the normal chicken stuff.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I have a bird with it as well. How do you drain?

(Below is a cut&paste from one of my prior posts, there are also some articles and a few YouTube videos to guide you)



I have a little ritual of: bringing them inside, snack! (Super special snacks ) , bath to wash the bum, (and I get better visibility of the bum with wet feathers) , then disinfection of the whole area (Bactine is locally available so that is what I use).

The location of the hole is better understood with the videos online, but generally speaking: right side of the bum hole, down about 2 inches, across about the same (2 inches left, 2 inches down, that is a diagonal away from the bum, because you don't want to puncture the colon)

I puncture with an 18 gauge needle (I no longer use the plunger part of the syringe. I found using the plunger was uncomfortable to them, led to a lot of painful squirming and sad cooing sounds).

The needle goes in around a quarter inch ( 0.25"), which is around a centimeter if that makes more sense to you. You really only want to make a break in the outer skin for the liquid to drain, it isn't in an organ.

Once punctured you wiggle the needle a little and the liquid will find the escape route.

Then allow her to drain either through the needle or by removing the needle and letting the hole drain. The choice is not mine, some drain better with the needle inserted some don't need it.

If she doesn't need the needle in place she walks around and it pours out of her comfortably. ( This is a mess on the kitchen floor but seems easier on her to drain if she is moving around)

If she needs the needle I keep her still and massage the abdomen to direct the liquid out. I worry about her moving around with a needle in her so I limit movement.

After I disinfect the whole area of the hole. (Sometimes this means another bath If the liquid got the feathers dirty)

I can't say they enjoy it, but they have a nice active life afterwards, so I'll keep at it.

I keep them in the house away from the others until about a day after the liquid has stopped. Sometimes longer if they seem to be sleeping a lot and are poorly.

I have noticed that some of them had reduced their eating due to the liquid pushing their organs so they need a lot more calories when they are drained. Some of them spend a few days in the house eating constantly. I know you think "all chickens eat constantly" but really constantly, I know chickens love food, but this is just impressive.

I give them chick food or other high protein chicken food. I try yogourt -not all of them love it. Some of them will only eat fruit flavoured yogourt (spoiled? Yeah...)

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I have a bird with it as well. How do you drain?

By the way, it is possible for this to be gastrointestinal in cause, rather than a reproductive infection, which means once cured she still needs care for the stomach issues, but once done she recovers with less reoccurring. (If she heals from the root cause)

 

[Pandorasmum]

Hi, I have a few old birds with ascitite and I've gotten used to draining them. Honestly, I am not the kid who dreamed of growing up to be a vet, I am completely squeamish and not great at such things (I have never been a mom, I have been stepmom, but to no one younger than 12, so I have never learned to treat scrapes and such)

All that to say... I'm the worst case scenario and I have successfully kept some girls alive, happy and scratching up a storm for over 18 months (and counting) with that condition so YOU will be brilliant at it.

There is one thing I learned recently though, the ascitite can have many origins including gastrointestinal infection, reproductive issues or liver problems. If you can figure out which one is at play it makes long-term care easier because you might be able to decrease the rate of re-occurrence.

Feel free to ask for any help I can provide. (Even if it is just a shoulder to cry on the first time you need to do this... First time is the worst! )

Hi, I’m finding this really interesting! I have a 2& a half year old hybrid hen who is repeatedly suffering from egg peritonitis! She goes off her food, becomes less active, very thin in front, prominent keel bone but very fluidy behind, from legs up to vent. I have had recurring vet visits, courses of antibiotics & she’s had fluid drained off by syringe, ,200mls drained by catheter last time ( 9th June, ) initial course of 5days antibiotics doubled to ten days. She finished the 10 day course on Saturday evening, now tues evening she didn’t seem herself, not keen to eat anything this morning! I tube fed her twice today. What would you suggest to help her please? Are there any other treatments any one can recommend please? I know egg peritonitis does usually keep recurring, but just want to know if there are any success stories!! Once on the antibiotics she recovers very well. All help greatly appreciated

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Another update:
Unfortunately she's passed away a week or so ago.

 

[DotToDot]

Another update:
Unfortunately she's passed away a week or so ago.

I’m so sorry for your loss.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I’m so sorry for your loss.

Thanks

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I know egg peritonitis does usually keep recurring, but just want to know if there are any success stories!!

Hi, I have learned a mantra through this experience.... When they are at the end and there is nothing more I can do than to comfort and spoil them, I tell myself (sometimes out loud) "nothing I can do would make them immortal, I am doing the best I can" usually through tear filled eyes.

Here is my best success, her name is Tartine (a French word that describes in one word the heaven that is a thick slice of roughly sliced fresh bread slathered thickly with something like fresh churned butter and homemade jam).



I have drained her several times, her bum is again fluid filled and I need to do it again, but she has lived more than a year.

She is a feisty, demanding , spoiled little girl. She cooes at me like a little child would half cry... whining asking for treats every time she sees me. I love her dearly and I look at her bossing bigger hens out of her way to get the snacks first with pride and think "look! She is alive... Thriving... " Even though she is at the end of her life, she is alive a little longer than she would have been...

I know you want to hear "all perfect!" And gosh I want to hear that from someone too... But we can't make them immortal, all we can do is love them, care for them as best we can and spoil them terribly

You are doing really well with her, and posting your experience with a vet helps those of us who can't or haven't gone that route. You may have someone ask about which meds the vet prescribed, and how well that turned out.

 

[HenpeckedBabble]

Another update:
Unfortunately she's passed away a week or so ago.

Sorry for your lost. Sounds like you did your best. Know that you gave it your all. That’s good enough.