[ToGGoT]

Hi Guys, bit of a puzzle...

We've got 5 hens in a run in our garden. About 10-14 days ago we noticed the hen who is "bottom of the pecking order" had got a lot of blood around the base of her back - the others had been pulling her feathers out. So we separated her off into her own side of the run, and put on anti-septic/cleaning spray - which has helped the wound.

At the same time we noticed she wasn't really moving around, but we put it down to stress, and left her to it to recuperate. Her back has healed nicely, but she really isn't walking well - its like she is very bottom heavy, and will drag her belly along the ground.

I wondered if she was egg bound - but she has been like it for most of the 10 days. I picked her up yesterday, and set her down on the lawn to have a wander in the sun, and she weighs easily twice as much as the other hens, and seems very swollen underneath. I cant feel any eggy lumps, and she just feels very "hard", and full.

Any thoughts - video of said hen is here:
http://youtu.be/EPFNjWQsHq4

ToGGoT

[chrismahon]

Sounds like an abdominal infection or egg peritonitis Toggot. Either case needs a vet, the first for antibiotics, the second PTS. The eggs can miss the ovaduct and collect in the abdomen and there is no cure. Seems to happen with hybrids.

Just seen the video. Here eyes are bright but she's heavy. Two weeks of eggs in her I would say -sorry Toggot.

[ToGGoT]

Thanks for your advice. I called a vet, and took her up this lunchtime - the vet wasn't really sure what it was likely to be, but she estimated she had at least 900g of fluid in her abdomen, and she was very skinny underneath it all.

she said most likely causes were either a heart condition, or some sort of tumour, and neither of which were really treatable in chickens, so we did the kindest thing and had her PTS.

She did give me the offer of taking her home and doing it, but i thought about it, and decided i'd rather face that another day! Still got a lot to learn...

Anyway, thanks for your post.

ToGGoT