[TanyaGibson]

Hi folks,

Sorry if I'm not in the right forum, but I couldn't find the new post icon.  I have a girl who is confounding the vets, so I'm hoping the experts might know the answer!  Milo, my favourite, was lethargic and producing yellow poo with what looked like mucous bits in it.  I suspcted peritonitis, took her to the vet and she's been on antibiotcs for a few days and is picking up (I know this won't cure the peritonitis , if that's what it is - still waiting for the pathology tests).  But what's really puzzling me (and two vets) at the moment is that the other day she expelled a bizzare non-poo item . . . it was a small dome-shaped object that was shaped like a brain and had the "wavy" texture of a brain.  It was a light cream colour, quite solid (i.e. not a jelly-like substance) and had no smell.  Neither vet thinks it's a tape worm as it isn't segmented.  One vet reckons it could be Milo's fallopion tube (I thought that was attached to other buts of her??).  A friend suggested it's part of Milo's intestinal wall.  The pathology results will be back in a few days, but in the meantime I'm wondering if anyone's come across something like this before??  Finally, in regards to the peritonitis (if that's what she has) - I have read online that some US vets can give chooks implants to prevent egg production and hence avoid peritonitis.  Has anyone tried this? And does it work?  My vet says knows of some colleagues who have performed hysterectomies on chooks - has anyone had this done on one of their girls? Is it cruel to put her through either of these procedures?  Money is no object (I'll spend whatever I have to on my girls), but I don't want her to suffer (she's only 2, so has plenty of time left!).
Thank you for taking the time to read (and hopefuly respond to) my post.
Cheers,
Tanya

[joyfull]

it sounds like she passed a lash, this is part of the reproductive system and sadly most hens don't lay any further eggs. This could solve your egg peritonitis problem 
If your vets also contact the British Welfare Hen Trust they will be able to advise him/her about the implants (they are available over here and usually come in pairs so can be fairly expensive).

[Sassy]

Agree Joyfull - a lash

[TanyaGibson]

Thank you both so much.  I am hopeful that it will solve the peritonitis problem, as you say Joyfull.  It doesn't worry me that she might not lay again - all I care about is that she's healthy and happy.  I will do some research about lashes.  As I live in Australia I will have to contact our equivalent of the British Welfare Hen Trust and see if implants are available here.  Thank you both again for your help.
Tanya

[cheeps]

Hi Tanya.  I am a fellow newbie too looking for some help myself but firstly I will comment on your hen's situation.  I have experienced both of these situations (not personally of course!).  My light sussex lay strange objects on a couple of occasions. I took the 'object' to the vet to have a look at and he was totally stumped.  It was just as you describe and when dissected it seemed to have a blood supply so he wondered if it was some sort of tumor but it didn't seem to have a point on it through which it could have been attached inside the hen so probably wasn't a tumor at all.  Another vet suggested it was an incomplete egg which hadn't been laid straight away and had 'cooked' inside the hen. Sometimes eggs have a bit of blood in them so this would explain the blood. Sounds odd I know but I was inclined to believe him and have since read about this somewhere on line but I'm afraid I can't remember where.  She did this on more than one occasion but it didn't seem to affect her ability to lay normal eggs too. That all happened about 3 years ago and recently she started losing a yellow substance out of her vent.  She didn't have to poop it out, sometimes it just dribbled out of its own accord, this went on for a few days.  On closer inspection it was egg.  The vet diagnosed peritonitis and gave her antibiotics.  I sought advice from a couple of further sources, all of whom agreed with the diagnosis and that the outcome would be bleak.  Over the next few days she became increasingly ill despite all the love, care and medication I gave her so in the end, sadly, I had to admit defeat and had her put to sleep to stop the suffering. I was told there was no other treatment available and this was the only suitable course of action. She had 6 lovely years with us and I take comfort in that. I'm sorry my hen's experience of peritonitis doesn't offer you any hope but the other condition didn't seem to do my hen any harm so hopefully its nothing for you to worry about.

Now for my query.  Does anyone know anything about lopsided hens?! I bought 4 young growers in the summer, 3 of them started laying in December, the 4th has yet to start.  She looks to be in really good condition but a few days ago she showed signs of not being altogether happy and stood back from the other hens.  I know my hens really well and apart from her behavior there were no signs of anything else being different.  Half way through the next day I noticed she had taken herself off to the hen house and I thought that she was finally going to lay her first egg so I left her alone.  Several hours later there was no egg and she still hadn't emerged.  She had backed herself into a corner and was looking at me with her head cocked to one side.  I decided to take her indoors to have a proper look at her.  She was unable to stand, seemingly having trouble balancing and was holding her head to one side with her neck bent too.  Her crop was completely empty so she obviously hadn't been able to feed.  I feared Marek's Disease and took her to the vet.  He also thought it could be Marek's Disease but suggested we treat her for an inner ear infection as Mareks can't be treated anyway and gave her an anti-inflammatory injection and an antibiotic injection  showing  me how to do it so that I could inject her with antibiotics twice a day at home.  The following morning she could stand and walk again and was holding her head much better although she was still lopsided. Her comb and wattles are a good healthy colour, she has a good appetite and is pooing normally but today she doesn't seem to be holding her head quite as well although she is still able to stand and walk a little. Does any of this ring any bells to anyone?  I'd love to receive some advice.  Thanks.

[TanyaGibson]

Hi Cheeps,

Thanks for sharing your story - The pathology report hasn't come back yet for Milo's 'blob', so I'm none the wiser as to what it could be (am hoping it's a lash as others have suggested it might be - the alternative is too bleak to contemplate right now!).  Milo is still on the antibiotics so I guess we'll havea clearer picture once she comes off them - a relapse would suggest something serious.

Is your girl expelling a waxy substance and/or a smell from her ear?  A friend of mine who had chooks says that somethimes chooks get blocked nasal passages if it's dusty or they've been diging in dry soil for a while and that because their nasal and ear passages are linked the dust can come out of their ears in a wax-like substance.  I'm not sure if this is true, but my friend used to run a chook farm so I guess he knows what he's talking about??  If he does, it might be some sort of nasal blockage.

Hope the girl gets better soon.  It's amazing how quickly the little devils worm their way into your hearts and you get so attached to them!

[cheeps]

Hi Tanya
No there isn't any discharge from anywhere. She is however running a temp of 42 degrees and although that in its self isn't good I'm hoping that it means its not Marek's Disease cause I haven't heard of hens getting a temp with that. So far all the other hens seem ok and I'm keeping Hettie away from them for the time being. I'll keep you posted. Thanks.

[joyfull]

cheeps, ask your vet if it could be wry neck (a quick google with show you some images) or even star gazing

[cheeps]

Thanks for the suggestion of wry neck.  I've looked it up and I'm thinking it probs isn't that because she doesn't have all the symptoms.  But would it harm to give her the treatment anyway?  I've found out that it should be treated with selenium, vit E, calcium and eletrolytes (although she perhaps doesn't need electrolytes as she is eating).  Please let me know what you think?

[cheeps]

Hi Tanya
Have you managed to find out what the 'object' was yet and how is she getting on now?

[TanyaGibson]

Hi Cheeps,

Thank you for your concern (we chook-lovers are such a caring lot!).  The pathologist reckons Milo has salpingitis and that the object she expelled was a by-product of the infection (the object conatined a delightful cocktail of pus and bacteria, so no wonder the poor thing was off-colour).  Two vets have given me two different opinion on what the object was - one says it was an empty crumpled egg shell, the other claims it was an abscess.  She had a check-up yesterday and her bacteria levels have returned to normal and she has put on 400g. She's still on antibiotics to knock the infection on the head but I'm cautiously optimistic . . . I guess we'll know for sure when she comes of them - fingers crossed!! 

How's your girl?  Miolo's temp. when I took her to the vet the first time was 43, so I assume your girl might have an infection too?  Is she getting better? 

The stupid things worm their way into your heart and it's so hard not to get attached to them, isn't it?  I live 400 km away from my family so my girls are my de-facto children - I'm not sure people without chooks understand just how attached you can get to them . . . Please let us know how Junior Cheeps is going.

[pepsi100]

What is a lash ?

I have never heard of it, let alone sen anything like it

[cheeps]

Hi everyone

Firstly I'm glad to hear that that Milo is on the mend, I wish my troubles were over.  I seem to be down at the vets so often they must be sick of me by now.  I have given Hettie the treatment for wry neck though she did seem to be improving anyway and today her head was almost in the right position again much to my relief but then I noticed her standing with her tail tucked down, her body all hunched and her head tucked under the feathers on her back.  She had joined in with the others earlier in the day so I was disappointed  that she seemed to be feeling out of sorts again.  At bedtime I check her over and was horrified to see that one of her wattles was swollen and very hot and hard.  I brought her in the house to examine her in better light and noticed that the nostril on the same side was crushed and there was a bit of blood round about.  Not sure if her beak was also cracked.  When she tried cheeping her beak wasn't properly aligned either.  I could cry. Maybe she flew and crash landed into something or maybe she has been attacked by another hen.  I don't know what is going on at the moment but I (or rather my pets) are all having such a bad run of luck.  God knows what the vet must be thinking because if its not one thing its another, they must think me so incompetent.  I have had rescue animals all my life and they have all lived really long healthy lives with me but the last couple of years, since moving to the rural countryside( ironically so they would have a better environment in which to live) there has been one problem after another! I just don't understand why its all going wrong.  I give them all the very best food and accommodation and thought I was very vigilant and caring but obviously this just isn't enough but I don't know what else I can do.   

[Sassy]

Try to take heart. All who keep animals go through bad patches at some time or other - its just the way of the world. Just remember all the good you have done and ARE still doing! Its hard to watch any of your charges suffer but you are doing your very best for them,if you did not have them and they were with someone else they may not be getting cared for at all.

[cheeps]

Thanks sassy.