[pigeonpie]

Hi Grannie Annie,
So sorry to hear about your dilemma and difficulties with Mabel.  I was once asked to look after a friend's chickens whilst they were away.  On the first day I noticed one of them waddled towards me, rather than walked.  When I picked her up she was very heavy and her abdomen appeared very swollen.  I took her straight to the vets.  The vet I saw was very fascinated as he had never seen anything like her before.  The vet said that he thought that she either had a form of peritonitis, perhaps with the egg causing a problem deep inside, hence the not being able to feel a problem through the vent, or a tumour.
He suggested either an ultra sound or an x-ray, both at great expense, or to put her out of her misery.  Knowing the owners and their financial situation I took the difficult decision to have her put to sleep. 
When I spoke to the owners they were glad of what I had done, as they couldn't have afforded to do anything as expensive as a scan.  They also said that they had not noticed anything untoward, just that she was a little slower than the others but as they didn't handle the hens regularly they wouldn't have noticed how heavy she was.  They had kept chickens for a number of years but I guess they weren't as obsessed by them as we perhaps are...!!!  The vet also said that it may have come on quite quickly.  I really wish that I had done a PM, to see if it was anything obvious but I felt a bit bad about cutting someone else's chicken to bits and so she was buried and I guess we'll never know the cause.     
I really hope you have a happier outcome for poor Mabel.

[Aunt Sally]

I had one of my hen euthanized on Thursday with EYP. 

The vet said it was a very painful condition for the hen and if treated with antibiotic, pain killers should be given too.  Treatment is rarely effective and the condition frequently reoccurs.

Don't let her suffer too long Grannie

[hillfooter]

However today when I picked her up, her abdomen is very tight and swollen, which I would have thought maybe egg peritonitis, but can you get EP when you have NEVER laid an egg before??  They reckon she has never laid an egg in her 2 years.

She's been wormed, and we've got some Tylan, do you think the Tylan may help?

Brian wants to cull her, but I told Sarah I would look after her girls, as she was very upset to have to get rid of them.  What am I going to say when she emails me to ask how they are doing??

I read this very quickly last night and rereading it there maybe a clue as to what has caused this though it's not very helpful I'm affraid to finding a cure.

You say they have been wormed GA but were they carrying a heavy worm load do you know?  If so and they haven't been wormed regularly by their past owner a sudden load of dead worms in the gut can set up an infection which could have caused the imflamation you are seeing.  Not much help to a cure I'm affraid but it would emphasis the importance of regular worm control.

They can still get EYP without having ever laid normally.  There are some birds who are what's called internal layers.  A condition where by the egg drops into the body cavity not the oviduct and is absorbed.  This can result in sterile EYP which may go unnoticed or peritonitis infection which will cause severe swelling and definite symptoms of illness.

Re the relationship between the heart function and weight. Obviously being over weight can cause strain on the heart as well as other organ functions however poor heart function can also lead to fluid retention as the kidneys don't work so well and the bird can become bloated with excess fluids.  This is a viscious circle.  People with impaired heart function, say after a heart attack, are often given diruretics to stimulate the kidneys.

In your chx case I suspect the infection particularly given her non-laying history obviously points to something not right internally.

Probably Brian is right that to cull would be the kindest course of action.

HF

[Aunt Sally]

Probably Brian is right that to cull would be the kindest course of action.

HF

I agree with Brian too Grannie !

[Peteaggi]

Hi Grannie,
1 of my chickens (Shirley) had a soft shell 2 years ago and we managed to sort here out but ever since she has not laid an egg ( but got fatter ) 2.5kgs..
2 weeks ago we noticed her just lying on the floor and when we picked here up we notices she was even fatter than normal.. we took here to the vets and told them she had not laid for 2 years and we thought she had an infection..
We got some Bytril and only fed here yoghurt and layers pellets and lots of water with ACV .
She may not be a sprinter any more (walks like a penguin) but she is as happy as she has ever been..
I also thought about culling here but i also thought about that 2 years ago ( glad i didnt)..
I know it is probably the right thing to do but i couldnt cos she is sooooo kute.
Just thought i would let you know my story and hope mable is ok.

[GrannieAnnie]

It was a surprise to see this post again after a few months break!    Thanks for that everyone.  As far as I know, Mable is still well and hopefully a bit thinner, as the Kindly Joyfull took her on to save her from being culled! (She took her mate Amy too!)

Last I heard, she had fallen in love with one of Joy's cockerels, but had trouble following him up into his favourite tree!   

[joyfull]

Mable is still big but not quite as big - still not laying and still swollen in the underneath bit, however she can run quite fast to get away from the other cockerel (Big Boppa) now  . Her friend Amy is now growing back her feathers and these two wander around with Big Emily and Beeper the red/black araucana cockerel who sadly still sleeps on his own in the trees as they still haven't managed to fly up 

[GrannieAnnie]

Awww, Joy, thank you for letting us know how the girls are getting on!  I knew they'd be happy with you!!

[joyfull]

I am so tempted to put a ladder up against the cherry tree so they can cuddle up to beeper but I think they may injure themselves flying down in the morning 

[GrannieAnnie]

parachutes?   something soft to land on?