Drained a Hen, First Time in Years....Removed 660 cc Yellow Fluid RIP, HOPE *GRAPHIC PHOTOS ADDED

[Suzie]

Hi speckledhen...

So very sorry to hear about Hope...

I have been reading this post as I too have a hen that is having some issues...maybe you can throw some light into what may be her problem...

Gretel is 5 months of age..she has an enormous stomach ( belly ) that appears to be fluid filled...I have been giving her extra calcium Vitamin D3...she has been doing the standard "penguin walk" as if she is having problems in passing an egg..warm soaks for 20 minutes and she has passed two eggs in the last 48 hours ..her first eggs...all hard shelled...my first thoughts were EYP or ascites...she has no discolouration to her belly and eats and drinks very well...

I am not at a stage where I would feel comfortable in inserting a needle to draw out what may be fluid...she is so young in my opinion BUT I would so much appreciate any thoughts or ideas as to what may be causing this with her...you know so much about reproductive issues that can affect them...

Thanks for any suggestions...

p.s. Gretel is a Turken ( Naked Neck ) ....

 

[speckledhen]

If she just began laying, could be the fluid will dissipate on its own. Some hens have trouble coming into lay, Suzie. Maybe that's all it is. I've never had a hen develop EYP this early on, so I'd rather doubt that, but I'd never say it can't happen.

 

[Nambroth]

My hen that I lost this year also had reproductive tumors growing into her liver. I'm sorry you lost her, but happy you have a clearer answer, now.

 

[hennible]

I'm sorry for your loss... That was a large tumour... My cat had a 2lbs tumour removed a few years ago... Full recovery. I was lucky.
Best wishes

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks, all. Hope's case is why I say you can't really be sure what's going on inside, only guess. The same identical symptoms can be internal laying/egg yolk peritonitis or heart or liver failure. You can't know until you see inside, unfortunately.

 

[seminolewind]

Wow Cynthia, that are huge tumors! I'm surprised they fit inside her.

I hope that anyone who is serious about helping someone with posting possibilities causing an illness will have studied the ailment thoroughly and experienced it . I know few of the suggestions I've heard or gotten have kept me awake at night, LOL

 

[seminolewind]

Hi speckledhen...

So very sorry to hear about Hope...

I have been reading this post as I too have a hen that is having some issues...maybe you can throw some light into what may be her problem...

Gretel is 5 months of age..she has an enormous stomach ( belly ) that appears to be fluid filled...I have been giving her extra calcium Vitamin D3...she has been doing the standard "penguin walk" as if she is having problems in passing an egg..warm soaks for 20 minutes and she has passed two eggs in the last 48 hours ..her first eggs...all hard shelled...my first thoughts were EYP or ascites...she has no discolouration to her belly and eats and drinks very well...

I am not at a stage where I would feel comfortable in inserting a needle to draw out what may be fluid...she is so young in my opinion BUT I would so much appreciate any thoughts or ideas as to what may be causing this with her...you know so much about reproductive issues that can affect them...

Thanks for any suggestions...

p.s. Gretel is a Turken ( Naked Neck ) ....

I'm sorry to hear that, Suzie. My last one died and had a belly full of water-I believe she was twice her weight. But that can be symptomatic of so many things.

 

[speckledhen]

Wow Cynthia, that are huge tumors! I'm surprised they fit inside her.

I hope that anyone who is serious about helping someone with posting possibilities causing an illness will have studied the ailment thoroughly and experienced it . I know few of the suggestions I've heard or gotten have kept me awake at night, LOL

Then, you understand why I had to have some answers before I posted this on the forum. Eggcessive's husband kindly looked at them through a PM and correctly ID'd the necrotic thing as her gallbladder and said they did appear to be liver tumors. He's a pathologist, though not an avian one. So, Dr. Mason seconded that, but added, with his avian knowledge, that they were reproductive tumors, which is really not what I expected, but it makes perfect sense.

Hope was a HUGE hen, Karen, her frame was giant, so even when she lost most of her body weight, there was room in there for those horrible masses. I can't believe she never lost her appetite and jumped up onto the ramp every night. What a strong girl she was.