Another sick chicken

[CathyA]

Lavender is a black australorp. She's a sweetheart. For many years, her comb has been smaller than the others and she's had an expiratory honking sound for years......but she seemed healthy otherwise. Lately, she's been a bit slow. I checked her out and she's got a large abdomen. Its not filled with fluid, but things that are solid. I was going to tap her, but I fear its all either eggs or tumors.

I have her in a dog crate so I can watch her. She's hardly ever pooping and when she does, its just urates with a spot of yellow (egg yolk??).

She's not eating much. I've given her a heat lamp since its been cold here, but I hope if its an egg problem, its not stimulating her to make more eggs.

I started her on antibiotics, but I really think it won't make a difference.
I just need to keep her comfortable.

My hens are 8 years old next month. I started with 17 and am down to 6. Brownie dropped dead a couple weeks ago.
I don't like this part of having chickens. They're my girlfriends. :(

[H-work]

Do you think there's eggs stuck in her? I've heard it called egg bound, so you can google that term. Sad one of your girls is sick.

[Bugeah]

I'm so sorry to hear this CathyA. I don't know much about chickens, but I hope she will be okay. Sounds like you are a great hen mother.

[CathyA]

Thanks H-work and Bugeah,
I think its either cancer throughout her abdomen, or broken eggs. Sometimes, hens' eggs accidentally go out of the oviduct and into their peritoneal cavity. When you think about it.......they lay eggs about every other day for years. That's alot of work for the ovaries, and I supposed lots can go wrong. Plus, she's 8, so maybe her oviduct just fell apart, but she's still putting out eggs.
She started laying a few eggs this spring, and it probably did her "equipment" in. I kept telling them they didn't have to lay any more eggs.....but they didn't listen. ;)
I guess sometimes, a really healthy chicken can absorb these eggs (they don't have shells on them yet), and do okay. But some of them can't and it usually turns into peritonitis and then they get septic. I've lost 11 of them over the years, and I've cried like a baby when each of them has died. People have a hard time understanding this..........but they are pets, just like any other pet.
Thanks for your kindness.

[H-work]

Oh, poor thing. We only have 3 hens, we are building another coop so we can get some more. They are like family. When we have "girls day out" my daughter wants to bring the chickens. I can certainly understand your sadness over each and every one of your sweet hens. Of course they are pets, like you say, just like any pet.

[CathyA]

I went out this morning to open the coop and give Lavender her antibiotic. I set her down on the floor to let her walk around (hoping that might help get things moving out...), but she just stood there. I think its too painful for her to even rest on her belly. Anyhow, I scooped her up and took her for a ride around the property in my golf cart. She seemed to enjoy that. When we got back to the coop, I leaned over to pick some grass to see if she would eat it (with her in my arms), and fluid poured out of her crop, making her choke for awhile. I was bummed. She seems okay now. I have the heat lamp on over her crate and she seems to like that.

I think everything in her has just come to a halt. Curiously, her comb is still red and her breathing has eased a bit. Sure wish they had transparent skin so we could see what was going on!

I decided a long time ago to stop paying hundreds of dollars at the avian specialist and just try to take care of them myself. I've learned alot. But there are still alot of things you just can't do anything about. I'll just try to keep her comfortable.

H-Work......that's cute how your DD wants to bring the chickens to girls day out!

[Amaranth]

Jordanne at Path to Freedom might have some ideas. She has dealt with some difficult situations with her birds.