Diagnosed with Egg Yolk Peritonitis…

[Artsy_Teacher]

I am feeling super needy right now, worrying that I am asking more than I am contributing. Hopefully as I learn and experience more, I will be able to contribute more.

One of my girls has been diagnosed by a vet with egg yolk peritonitis. The vet drained her, and yellow fluid came out of her belly which she identified as EYP, but she didn’t culture it to determine the bacteria. The vet sent her home with clindamycin (300 mg) and carprofen (25 mg).

Unfortunately, a week and a half later, my girl’s belly is refilling, and this morning, I noticed her crop feels full. I have watched the video of the vet posted here many times showing how to drain a hen, and I am debating attempting it. This girl is a fighter, and my daughter and I want to give her every chance. (My daughter is taking this very, very hard.) We are in Georgia, but our vet will not do an implant to keep her from ovulating because she said it is against FDA guidelines for “food birds” like chickens. My daughter has found vets in neighboring Florida and South Carolina that are willing. She has a follow up appointment with our vet next week. She is still eating a bit and drinking normally. She is still pooping, even if it’s not exactly normal. She is camped out in a dog crate in our kitchen.

I figure the pills we are giving her aren’t working well if her crop isn’t emptying, and I figure her crop isn’t emptying because of pressure from the fluid. I know any diagnosis of EYP is a virtual death sentence. But does anyone have any recommendations for other things I can do to help stabilize her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. I would give her some Poultry NutriDrench or other electrolytes and vitamins as a boost for a day or two after the draining. Your hen has ascites or water belly, and the fluid is from liver disease associated with salpingitis and egg yolk peritonitis. She probably has egg masses (lash eggs) in her abdomen. Other possible reasons for ascites/water belly besides egg yolk peritonitis are cancer, fatty liver hemorrhagic disease, or heart failure (seen more in meat birds.) It is not too difficult to drain her at home, but always disinfect the area and use a sterile hypodermic needle (18 gauge is a good size.) Insert it just into the abdominal cavity. You can attach a syringe to withdraw the fluid or detach it and let the fluid come out of the needle. If it is thick with white blood cells, you may need the syringe for suction. Once you remove the needle the needle site may continue to drain for several hours, so sit her on a towel or puppy pad.

I usually only drain a hen if she is having labored breathing or seems very uncomfortable since you can introduce infection, and cause shock or death in some cases. So it is not without risk. I’m not sure that I would have the hormone implant since she already has the water belly and possible egg masses. They are very expensive, and last only about 4-6 months. This is a very common illness in todays laying hens. I usually like to do a necropsy on any of my hens who die, and I have found ascites with the fatty liver disease or cancer, but without the EYP. Read post 66 in this thread and look at pictures that casportpony posted of her hen being drained:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites.68731/page-7

 

[Perris]

I know any diagnosis of EYP is a virtual death sentence

Have you considered that it may be kinder to euthanize her? You will be prolonging her death rather than her life by draining or any other surgeries or treatments. There is no cure for EYP. Death comes to us all sooner or later. It could be a valuable if tough life lesson for your daughter.

 

[Eggcessive]

I tend to agree about euthanizing when she is seeming to suffer. They can be very stoic, and even when feeling bad, may want to be with the other hens, and just sit around with them. Once, they do seem to be in pain or if the other birds start to peck or pick on them, then I will put them down. I have had a few who lived a year or two with symptoms of an enlarged lower belly, not laying, and yellow urates in the poop (a sign of water belly.) Out of about 10 hens that had water belly over the years, I have only drained one, my favorite pet bantam, who had labored breathing. They may stop eating, the crop may not be emptying, and separate themselves when nearing death. I would recommend a state vet necropsy, since most do very thorough tissue examination and cultures. There reports can be very enlightening. Let us know how she gets along. Here is a list of state vets who can do a necropsy:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...7IOlHOhP-eD8qMtZ70RNq6BMO9kVUn3x6so7q0Z_JgEr8

 

[Artsy_Teacher]

Sorry about your hen. I would give her some Poultry NutriDrench or other electrolytes and vitamins as a boost for a day or two after the draining. Your hen has ascites or water belly, and the fluid is from liver disease associated with salpingitis and egg yolk peritonitis. She probably has egg masses (lash eggs) in her abdomen. Other possible reasons for ascites/water belly besides egg yolk peritonitis are cancer, fatty liver hemorrhagic disease, or heart failure (seen more in meat birds.) It is not too difficult to drain her at home, but always disinfect the area and use a sterile hypodermic needle (18 gauge is a good size.) Insert it just into the abdominal cavity. You can attach a syringe to withdraw the fluid or detach it and let the fluid come out of the needle. If it is thick with white blood cells, you may need the syringe for suction. Once you remove the needle the needle site may continue to drain for several hours, so sit her on a towel or puppy pad.

I usually only drain a hen if she is having labored breathing or seems very uncomfortable since you can introduce infection, and cause shock or death in some cases. So it is not without risk. I’m not sure that I would have the hormone implant since she already has the water belly and possible egg masses. They are very expensive, and last only about 4-6 months. This is a very common illness in todays laying hens. I usually like to do a necropsy on any of my hens who die, and I have found ascites with the fatty liver disease or cancer, but without the EYP. Read post 66 in this thread and look at pictures that casportpony posted of her hen being drained:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites.68731/page-7

Thank you so much! I am anxious, but I am willing to try. I will check out that other post. I understand it’s a Hail Mary, and it will be a miracle if she pulls through. I am heartbroken for our spunky, vibrant chick, and I am heartbroken for my daughter who loves this one more than any other pet she has had. I most certainly appreciate all of your advice.

 

[Artsy_Teacher]

Have you considered that it may be kinder to euthanize her? You will be prolonging her death rather than her life by draining or any other surgeries or treatments. There is no cure for EYP. Death comes to us all sooner or later. It could be a valuable if tough life lesson for your daughter.

I have. It has been a rough year. We had to euthanize our 13 year old lab in December because of a neurodegenerative disease, and we came home to find one of our hens having breathing problems a month ago. I was able to set up a vet appointment, but she died less than an hour later.

I do sincerely appreciate your advice. I understand it will be a miracle if I don’t have to go through with it, but I am heartbroken for my child who has been through so much the past few months. We love our animals, and I think we are good pet parents. I get that being willing to euthanize is an important part of being a pet owner, but that doesn’t seem to make this decision any easier. This hen has been a member of our family for three years.

I wish I had known that the ones who are the most prolific layers are not necessarily the ones who make the best “pets”. It kind of gets to me when I see people on TV suggesting families try backyard flocks now to try to combat high eggs prices. I wish I could convey to potential pet parents that there is a level of emotional and financial investment that it would be difficult to appreciate in advance. I mean, seriously, who knew a chickens could have unique personalities?

We have seven hens, if this one makes it, all three years old. I wonder if it’s going to be this tough every time we lose one. I’m also deeply torn about getting a few more chicks. When things are good, they are very good. But when things become difficult, it is heartbreaking.

 

[Artsy_Teacher]

I tend to agree about euthanizing when she is seeming to suffer. They can be very stoic, and even when feeling bad, may want to be with the other hens, and just sit around with them. Once, they do seem to be in pain or if the other birds start to peck or pick on them, then I will put them down. I have had a few who lived a year or two with symptoms of an enlarged lower belly, not laying, and yellow urates in the poop (a sign of water belly.) Out of about 10 hens that had water belly over the years, I have only drained one, my favorite pet bantam, who had labored breathing. They may stop eating, the crop may not be emptying, and separate themselves when nearing death. I would recommend a state vet necropsy, since most do very thorough tissue examination and cultures. There reports can be very enlightening. Let us know how she gets along. Here is a list of state vets who can do a necropsy:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...7IOlHOhP-eD8qMtZ70RNq6BMO9kVUn3x6so7q0Z_JgEr8

I get that we may have to euthanize. That just doesn’t seem to make this any easier. (I just left a longer reply to the poster who suggested it.)

Do you think it would be worth it to have a necropsy done? I did that with another we lost. The vet told me her liver was slightly enlarged but that they didn’t see anything else. I spent the next month plus asking myself if I missed something or if there was a mushroom or moldy treat or something else in the run I didn’t see.

Still hoping for a miracle.

 

[Eggcessive]

What state are you in? I think some states may be better than others when they do a necropsy on a backyard bird. I would always get a professional necrpsy if possible.

 

[Artsy_Teacher]

What state are you in? I think some states may be better than others when they do a necropsy on a backyard bird. I would always get a professional necrpsy if possible.

I’m in Savannah, Georgia. The only avian vet is about an hour away from our house. She basically said EYP, and that’s the third leading cause of death in back yard flocks (after respiratory and predator attacks). They performed the necropsy on the first chick we lost.