What's wrong with my hen?

[gingertemple]

I have noticed odd behavior from by red hen the last couple months. She's a bit lazy, hasn't been getting up on the roost lately. And I may be crazy but I swear her legs are farther apart than they used to be. Yesterday I noticed she had a swelling on one side of her face. She's at least 3 years old but could be as much as 6 (I bought her from the woman I bought the house from last fall with most of my flock). Helpful thoughts please? Photos of both sides of her face enclosed

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hello Gingertemple,

Your girl can't get up to roost. She has what is called ascite build up in her tummy.

Ascites are a result of internal infection, probably reproductive. The build up of ascites will make it awkward for her to walk, let alone perch. If the swelling gets too large, it will cause her to herniate. She may also develop difficulty breathing and/or congestive heart. In fact, it is better for her to sleep on the floor of the coop. Jumping on or off the perch could cause her hernia to rupture, and death will result. You may also notice her poops are small and may have mucous with a yellow urate, instead of white. This is because her liver is not functioning well. Aloe Vera with Milk Thistle in it will help support her liver and detox too. You can put a tablespoon per gallon of water or add to layer mash.

Supportive Care:
You can give her a soak in Epsom salt, water level should be up to her vent. Do this a couple times a week. The magnesium is healthful. Towel and blow dry her if it is cold where you live. Apply some Preparation H or Arnica Cream to her belly if her feathers are gone. Keep her eating, meat protien few times a week, cooked grains, fresh greens, black or red grapes, thinly sliced apples, fresh, frozen or canned corn, toast with butter, etc.

I have a hen that went through this during the Summer, it took her 9 weeks to recover with supportive care.

I would put my hen into a hospital cage for the morning so that I could monitor her progress and feed her special things. On days when I bathed her it was also easier not to have to chase her. Then, she can spend the later half of the day with the flock and sleep with them in the coop. If you want to put her up on the perch each night, you should install netting of some kind under her perch so she doesn't have a fall. That's what I did for my hen.


Some hens do die from this condition, but it seems to be as a result of ruptured hernia, most often, rather than organ failure. My hen's hernia was huge, but it did shrink down. However, just like people, once there is a hernia it will always be there. She also had the congestive heart, but that did heal! She even laid a couple of eggs over the weeks. I still can't believe it...

Well, I hope this information helps you.

God Bless!

 

[gingertemple]

When I get home from work today I'll try and catch her. Where do I get aloe with milk thistle? Is it at the feed store? I will do the best I can but I work full time outside my home and have 2 young boys that need me as well. I think I will put her in my small coop, its adjoined to the big coop so she won't get lonely but will make her easier to collect for baths and separate for special feed/water

 

[gingertemple]

Also, thanks so much for your help. I've had my chickens a little over a year and this is the first time I have had to worry about any health issues.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Just plain Aloe Vera Juice can be bought at Wal-Mart, the Epsom Salt, too. I use Lily of the Valley 80 Detoxifying Formula, it is sold at health food stores or online at Amazon.

But, just do what you can for her. This can resolve in it's own time, having a safe environment and good diet, is most important.

I even tried a course of antibiotic injections in the beginning, with no results. Many keepers will euthanize the hen, because it takes time to help them. But, I had another hen just a couple of weeks ago, that had ascite build up too. I treated her with Epsom Salt bath two times in five days. Kept her in the garage to give Aloe Vera, feed and observe. And by day 6 she was normal! Put her back with the hens, where she returned to being her normal cranky self.

If you can keep her safe from injuring her belly, she has a chance at recovery. Good supportive care seems to be key.

Yes, having chickens is work when they get sick. Sounds like you are doing a good job at keeping them healthy, if none have been ill till now. Don't stress, just set up a care routine that works for you.

God Bless to you and you girl.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hello Gingertemple,

I'm sorry, I didn't address the swelling on her cheek. It's hard to tell from a photo, but could be a peck injury. Do you see any sign of a puncture wound, or bruising? If there is a wound, use Vetricyn spray or Neosporin. If it is bruised use Arnica cream or Preparation H cream, they will reduce inflammation in the blood vessels.

Sometimes when a chicken is walking different or has usually behaviors, the other hens will peck at them.

If the swelling gets larger or starts to ooze, post that development. It may be something else that BYC members can help advise on.

God Bless!

 

[cottontail farm]

Hello Gingertemple,

Your girl can't get up to roost. She has what is called ascite build up in her tummy.

Ascites are a result of internal infection, probably reproductive. The build up of ascites will make it awkward for her to walk, let alone perch. If the swelling gets too large, it will cause her to herniate. She may also develop difficulty breathing and/or congestive heart. In fact, it is better for her to sleep on the floor of the coop. Jumping on or off the perch could cause her hernia to rupture, and death will result. You may also notice her poops are small and may have mucous with a yellow urate, instead of white. This is because her liver is not functioning well. Aloe Vera with Milk Thistle in it will help support her liver and detox too. You can put a tablespoon per gallon of water or add to layer mash.

Supportive Care:
You can give her a soak in Epsom salt, water level should be up to her vent. Do this a couple times a week. The magnesium is healthful. Towel and blow dry her if it is cold where you live. Apply some Preparation H or Arnica Cream to her belly if her feathers are gone. Keep her eating, meat protien few times a week, cooked grains, fresh greens, black or red grapes, thinly sliced apples, fresh, frozen or canned corn, toast with butter, etc.

I have a hen that went through this during the Summer, it took her 9 weeks to recover with supportive care.

I would put my hen into a hospital cage for the morning so that I could monitor her progress and feed her special things. On days when I bathed her it was also easier not to have to chase her. Then, she can spend the later half of the day with the flock and sleep with them in the coop. If you want to put her up on the perch each night, you should install netting of some kind under her perch so she doesn't have a fall. That's what I did for my hen.


Some hens do die from this condition, but it seems to be as a result of ruptured hernia, most often, rather than organ failure. My hen's hernia was huge, but it did shrink down. However, just like people, once there is a hernia it will always be there. She also had the congestive heart, but that did heal! She even laid a couple of eggs over the weeks. I still can't believe it...

Well, I hope this information helps you.

God Bless!

I'm curious what you are basing this conclusion off of?
My first thought is that she either had an injury that has made her unable to get on the roost, and the swelling is a secondary issue.
OR some kind of infection that is effecting her balance and causing the facial swelling.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Gingertemple

Does she feel swollen between her legs and possibly below her vent? Compare with other healthy hens to be sure. Does she feel unusually heavy? When was the last time she laid an egg?
There are a number of things that can cause a hen to walk with her legs further apart including Ascites (water belly) and often they are quite serious reproductive issues particularly in older production birds like yours.

Ascites is a build up of fluid in the lower part of the abdominal cavity (between her legs). It can be caused by a number of problems including fatty liver syndrome, heart failure and reproductive problems like internal laying. Eventually the pressure of the fluid will put a strain on their heart, lungs and digestive tract causing respiratory distress and eventually death. The fluid can be drained off using a large gauge needle to give almost instant relief, but it usually returns as the underlying problem causing the Ascites has not been addressed. Depending on the issue, they can plod along for weeks, months or even a years before it kills them. You will sometimes see an improvement during the winter as they stop ovulating and then they start to swell again in the spring when their reproductive system starts up again.

If you can examine her and give us more information on any bloat/swelling in her belly and when she last laid an egg, that might give us a bit more idea of what is going on. The swelling on her face may be unrelated. Can you get a close up photo of it?

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

I'm curious what you are basing this conclusion off of?
My first thought is that she either had an injury that has made her unable to get on the roost, and the swelling is a secondary issue.
OR some kind of infection that is effecting her balance and causing the facial swelling.

My thoughts were based on the symptoms reported: legs further apart, lazy, not moving much, unable to get up on the roost. These all fit ascite build up, the legs spread apart to accommodate the enlarging belly area. They are unable to get up on the perch, because of the weight of the fluid, it also throws off their balance when trying to go up ramps or walk on perches. They sit a lot. These have been my observations when my hens have had this issue.

No limping was reported to indicate injury.

The facial swelling, as I pointed out...doesn't fit this condition. Without any other reported symptoms, I am thinking it is a pecking injury.

The hens eyes are bright and round, her tail is up and her feather condition is excellent. This indicates to me that the hen is strong at this point, despite the symptoms and their cause.

I have had this conversation with my Vet, and he agreed with my thoughts on good supportive care. Unless, there is a struggle to breath, not eating or drinking, then the efforts would be futile.

As I have said before, internet diagnosis...poor substitute for Veterinarian Care.

But, I understand some keepers don't have that option.

So yes, your guess is as good as mine. The keeper should consider all suggestions.

Hopefully one will be helpful.

 

[gingertemple]

Update on my hen: I still don't know what's wrong with her. She's been isolated for over a month. She eats well, drinks well. The thing on her face is way bigger.

I have not been able to find aloe juice at any of me local feed stores. There is one more place I can check locally. Her vent seems to be often covered with feces. I'll start trying to do epsom salt baths for her but she was at least 3 when I "inherited" and not ever handled so this might get interesting