[chook mother]

my 3 year old maran hybrid is very off colour have made 2 visits to the vet friday and saturday they gave her tylan , emepri,and zantac injections examined her for internal eggs and told me to go back on monday , she is hardly eating anything but drinking some ,at first she was in the nest box all  the time but after lifting her out she is either lying down in the sun or standing, her vent is pulsating and her crop is half full but sqishy and not really emptying properly, she did 2 runny droppings during the night, I would love some advice please.

[jhub]

Has she been wormed?
Does her breath smell foul, if so it could be sour crop- there's a sticky about crop problems .
If crop is ok you could try giving her some poultry tonic, syringe it if necessary.
Keep her warm and quiet as the visit to the vet will have stressed her.

[joyfull]

if her vent is pulsing she could be trying to lay a soft shelled egg - when did she last lay?

[chook mother]

the vet thought it might be a soft egg have had her in warm water for 20 mins but no sign she hasnt laid for a few days but cant be too sure on that as found her sitting on an egg on saturday but it didnt look like one of hers tshe is wormed regularly but due to be wormed sooni use flubenvet and havent seen any signs of worms have also emptied her crop and given her live yogurt  perhaps its just her time she has been a very good layer but she has laid some strange eggs of late. I am just going to check on her now and let the others out

[chook mother]

have just opened the coop she was just standing there looking vague i have put her on the lawn with some water for a few minuits but i will call the vet again when they open her crop has not emptied either its so sad to she her like this she is my favourite too

[chook mother]

vet put my chicken to sleep today, thought it most likely to be peritonitis thats the second to have lost to that this year is there anything you can do to prevent this, I took her straight away to the vet last Friday as soon as I noticed she was ill, I just feel gutted.

[Casey76]

Sorry to hear that CM  

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to prevent EYP.  In most cases EYP doesn't effect the hens, apart from give them a squishy undercarriage.  this is the "sterile" form.  However it is a ticking clock, as at any time it can become infected, and at this time hens normally go down hill fast.

EYP and internal laying effects hybrids the most, as they are bred to lay heavily without many breaks, and it can cause fatigue in the internal mechanics.  One of the down sides to having hybrids unfortunately

[chook mother]

unfortunately I have learnt the hard way, she was a prolific layer and has paid the price, if I buy chickens again I will have pure breds thanks for your help

[jhub]

So sorry to hear about your hen, it's horrible having a favourite pet put down but you gave her the very best care.