What's wrong with my hen? Internal layer?

[mrbstephens]

My EE hen Alma is ill again this morning. She's listless and her vent is pulsating. She had stopped laying eggs last fall, though she's only about 18 months old. She was never a good layer. She'd lay soft shelled eggs or fart eggs most of the time. Then one day she started with this. This is probably the fourth time I've seen her behave this way. Sometimes a clear watery poop, with listless behavior, pulsating vent and panting. In the past she's recovered in 24 hours. I just hope she'll recover again this time. I've separated her with some water to drink. She's just laying there panting. Is she an internal layer or is something else wrong with her?

 

[speckledhen]

I would guess that she has egg peritonitis/ internal laying, yes. I just lost one hen who hadn't laid an egg in 14 months. It began with a bloated abdomen and cessation of laying. I've had them start laying soft shelled eggs, then no eggs, even though they go in the nest box. Eventually, they lose alarming amounts of weight (feel the keel bone, not the abdomen to determine this), then they become very weak and pass on or you'd have to euthanize her. You can try a round of strong penicillin, but even if it helps some with any infection, it will not permanently cure her, I'm sorry.

 

[mrbstephens]

Well, a little while after I started this thread she pooped. It was watery with a little blood. She's now up and walking around and eating and drinking, but still not quite herself. This is how it's happened each time. I don't see a swelling of the abdomen at all. She usually acts normal besides not laying. Poor thing........

 

[speckledhen]

Hmm, blood could be worms, which may be a problem in addition to her reproductive issue. I rather doubt cocci, though it's not unheard of for a bird to get cocci as an adult. If it was just pinkish, could just be intestinal lining shedding.

Internal laying does not always present with swollen abdomen. Many of mine who have died from it never had that, but when we opened them up, their oviducts were clogged with cheesy gunk, like sausage in a casing.

 

[mrbstephens]

Quote:
Yeah, it's just pinkish. Like when you see a blood spot in an egg. She's acting totally normal again.

 

[speckledhen]

My hen who hadn't laid in 14 months acted completely normal then she died suddenly. Several of mine acted completely fine, just quit laying, then I found them dead. Hopefully, your girl will be okay. It's not pleasant to watch them start to waste away. If this is really her problem, there is nothing you can do anyway. No prevention, no cure.

 

[mrbstephens]

Quote:
I figured she'd be a goner eventually. Her sister (not really sure but also an EE from the same hatchery I got at the same time) died suddenly this past spring. She was also listless and panting with no other obvious symptoms. Possibly a genetic defect?