[SnooziSuzi]

Hi guys,

I'm posting on behalf of my lottie neighbours who have a sick hen.

she's an adult white star who has had a dark comb for a week or so; but other than that has been fairly OK.

she's alert and bright, but now her abdomen (keel to vent) seems as if it's bloated, but not hard.

it's as if she's been blown up like a balloon.

I have looked through my 'chicken health handbook' and it doesn't indicate what might be wrong. 

There's no sign of injury, so I have ruled out an infection or gas getting in but other than that I don't know what else could be wrong....

any ideas?

[Aunt Sally]

Egg peritonitis would be my guess 

She needs a vet or a flight to heaven 

[kimT]

Unfortunately what you have described in your post above is just what my big hen Ginger has died from egg peritonitis.

It happened so quickly she was sitting down on the patio at lunch time and dead by 5pm.

We miss her.

[dizzylizzie]

how is she today?

[SnooziSuzi]

don't know how she is today, they took her up home to make her more comfortable and to keep an eye on her.

i'll post again when I know more