Is this coccidiosis? Please help?? What's wrong with this girl?

[AuburnChickenNewbies]

Sigh ... she's failing fast. Quarantined her today. We did add worming stuff to everyone's water yesterday after talking to my chicken expert at our local feed store. But she refuses to eat or drink. When I picked her up today to check her out, she was sitting in the corner, tail down and all puffed up. Her tummy just feels really full and round. So I cleaned out the baby pen and quarantined her. She's sitting in the back corner looking miserable. She'll talk to me a bit, but she's obviously sad and doesn't feel well. Even warm oatmeal with yogurt didn't entice her to eat.

 

[casportpony]

Sounds like she has ascites, EYP, a stuck egg or a combo of the three. Have you done a cloacal exam?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here are some pictures that I've found useful:

-Kathy

 

[AuburnChickenNewbies]

Oh Kathy, I think you're probably right. I was just researching "internal laying" here on BYC and what I'm reading sounds exactly how she looks. I did check for a stuck egg about two weeks ago and there was nothing there that felt like an egg ... just squishy softness. Now her tummy is huge, poor thing.

From what I'm reading, it sounds like she might really be suffering too. We should probably help her out of her misery, but I have no idea how to do that.

 

[casportpony]

It's possible that she has a build up of fluid that you could drain and it might give her some relief... I got one here that I've done twice, it's not a cure, but it could make her feel better. If it is EYP, I think the outlook is pretty grim as a massive, systemic infection will probably kill her unless she gets antibiotic and supportive care. I'm a coward when it comes to doing the deed and have actually never done it myself, so I can't help you there.

-Kathy

 

[AuburnChickenNewbies]

Yeah, I'm pretty much a coward too. I think that as far gone as she seems to be though, that draining the fluid will likely just prolong the inevitable. I'm wondering if my neighbor that's raised livestock all his life might do this for me. Sigh ...............