[leddenton]

Please could someone give me advise.I have 3 chickens all in good health until yesterday when Doris seemed reluctant to move about and appears in an upright position as a duck would.She is eating/drinking O.K.She seems hot to touch and her abdomen is swollen. Grateful for any help.

[grumpydad]

sounds like an egg problem, never had one like that, i am sure an experienced keeper will be along soon to help you

[Foxy]

That sounds like she may be eggbound, they waddle around looking miserable, appetite off, plus frequent visits to the nest box  - if her abdomen is hot that could mean an abdominal infection most likely linked to an egglaying dysfunction.
 Can you feel a lump under her vent and between her legs? Be very, very careful handling her as there is a risk of breaking the egg. This is what you can do in the first instance if you think she is egg bound, and it wont do any harm.
Now I know its winter, but she will be in distress so you need to try and keep her as comfy as possible, and as long as you keep her in overnight and keep her warm she will be fine,
Run a bowl/sink full of warm water -then sink her in so her vent is covered,keep her in there for at least 1/2 hour. Mix a baby aspirin  and a calcium tablet in water for her. It is really important she doesn't get dehydrated or that will make the problem worse. Keep her in overnight -just fill a cardboard box with straw and keep it somewhere warm and dark where she will not be disturbed.
If she still looks peaky and swollen - and there is no egg, take her to a vet (depending whether you have decided to treat or cull your chickens when ill ) ask around to find one with experience, she will need a look at and treatment will depend on her age/condition. Often a calcuim inj is given plus a course of antibiotics, particulary if she has an infection there.
After make sure you have good quality layers pellets/mash -and this is the main consitute o their diet -watch treats, they dont need them, a few greens to supplement if they do not have access to grass, a little mxed corn in the afternoon is fine in cold weather.
Pullets hatched summer are likely to be coming into lay pretty soon, and, at this time they will be storing calcium ready for their first laying season so it is important to get the diet right at this time. I use old stone flowerpots  dotted around filled up with oyster shell so they can peck when they need to.
Finally give her a check over, to ensure there is nothing else unusual - to eliminate an injury.
Good luck!

[Hawkins]

As always I totally agree with foxy. I currently have a chicken at home with Sterile egg yolk peritonitus and she is doing fab and even helping me type as she is sat on my lap falling asleep.

she had same symptoms swollen belly, very uncomfortable. We put her in a warm bath and she laid an egg after about 15 mins. She is now being checked by the vet and on meds and Fingers crossed she is getting better.

Good luck I hope she pulls through. If you can go and get her now and give her a bath, as long as you can keep her warm and dry afterwards. The sooner the better with egg problems.

[leddenton]

Thanks for all advise.Will let you know outcome

[raeburg]

Believe it or not, hens are not adverse to being dried with a cool hairdryer on a low speed.  Or at least mine are weird enough to let me   Good luck

[leddenton]

I did as advised with bath but no success.she has been in all night,seems bright in herself eating/drinking.Does anyone know if eggbound how long they last cos it is now 48 hrs since I noticed something was drastically wrong. thanks for any help.

[Foxy]

What will happen is another egg will be making its way down. The outcome is not good in these cases and quick treatment is crucial.

I would be tempted to remove the egg by gently breaking the shell and removing the egg this way, you have to be very confident to do this as it is imperative that every peice of shell is removed, anything left inside will cause an infection. She will still need a course of Baytril from the vet.

Can you feel an egg? or a hard lump?

It might be a good idea to book her in so the vet can have a look at her

[leddenton]

Have vets appt this afternoon as cant leave her like this. will post outcome

[Beano]

Good luck this aft.!!

[Sassy]

Hope everything works out

[leddenton]

Thought i would post outcome although not good. Found vet with Poultry interest as recommended on here. Doris was diagnosed with peritonitis, swelling was due to fluid not eggbound. Vet said she had probably been unwell for sometime despite appearing O.K eating/drinking e.t.c. I didn't realise how thin she was until pointed out by vet. Lesson to be learned please check your girls regularly even if they seem O.K. I feel awful that I may have been able to prevent this. Also advised was regular worming,something else I must get on top of. Thanks for all above mentioned advice.

[Hawkins]

Leddenton, is Doris still with you. Did the vet give you anything for her.

There are 2 types of peritonitus sterile and non sterile. Aunty has a post somewhere and is definately worth reading.

My chicken has sterile peritonitus this is where no germs have turned it nasty in her belly. She is on antibiotics and a diaretic and her swelling is going down. My chicken is doing really well and picking up every day.

Did the vet drain a bit of fluid or anything so they could see what colour it was.

Youve done the best by taking her to the vet its just not always the end of the line depends on the type of peritonitus. BUt im no expert im just going by what my vet told me and how my chicken is behaving.

Good luck, keep us posted.

[leddenton]

No sadly the vet said she was too ill to survive and no treatment would be successful in her case so I had her put down at the vets. I will keep keep a close watch on my other two.

[grumpydad]

sorry you lost one.
i have learned that chicken keeping is a steep learning curve, not all good, lots of disappointments along the way.