Fat bellied 1 yr leghorn with xrays

[azygous]

Just wondering. Why must the hen be separated from the flock? Is there anything about her that would cause them to pick at or aggravate/attack her?

Often, but not always, a sick chicken is accosted by flock members. This is why a sick hen has an instinct to withdraw from the center of activity in the flock, usually retiring to the coop, a nest box, or a secluded corner.

The instinct of chickens is to try to drive out the sick member to preserve the health of the flock.

 

[Mimi13]

Often, but not always, a sick chicken is accosted by flock members. This is why a sick hen has an instinct to withdraw from the center of activity in the flock, usually retiring to the coop, a nest box, or a secluded corner.

The instinct of chickens is to try to drive out the sick member to preserve the health of the flock.

I’ve got you. That is understandable and makes perfect sense. I just wondered because she said her hen was acting normally and missing being with her flock mates. However, that behavior most likely is about to change based on the perceived prognosis, correct?

 

[micstrachan]

@TMChickens, in case you want to try ibuprofen to treat inflammation and pain:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ibuprofen-for-controlling-pain-in-poultry.1250629/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

1 yr leg horn’s belly was swollen and she was waddling.

Belly was water ballon “feeling” and attempted to drain with 18 ga needle and got <2 cc and some “chunky” scrambled egg.

I believe she had a egg grow large and break in her. I think my next move is to bring her in and soak her again in epsom salt. Hoping to draw out the “egg” or infection.
Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated!! We love her so much!

Also on the X-ray there is a shadow below that looks like it could be fragmented eggs.

Once she gets rid of this (ok, if) she will continue to “internally lay”. Is there a way to have her fixed so she doesn’t even have egg making capabilities so she can’t lay internally or externally?

I'm sorry to hear about your hen
If you are drawing "scrambled egg" from the abdomen, the prognosis is not good. I'm sorry, I don't know any other way to say it.
I am not a vet nor an expert. I don't really know how to read any xray, but the "mass" in the abdomen to me would be something like Salpingitis or possibly EYP. (RED CIRCLE).
I don't really see any fragmented egg shell, what all those little pieces in there that you see, look to me, to be grit, oyster shell and/orfeed. (GREEN ARROW)

With this being in the abdomen, there is no way to "draw" it out. Sadly, I will say that mass will continue to grow, the body will likely keep adding layers to that in an attempt to encapsulate it.
Surgery on chickens is very risky and expensive- usually they don't even survive. Even if a vet could clean that out, she might not recover at all. Suprelorin implants would also likely need to be given every 3months or so to stop ovulation.
Chickens aren't like dogs or cats where you can really give them a hysterectemy.

See what you vet says, but if she were mine and I saw this, sadly, I would put her out of her misery. Once that was done, then I would open her up to see exactly what that was.

Just my 2¢

 

[TMChickens]

I'm sorry to hear about your hen
If you are drawing "scrambled egg" from the abdomen, the prognosis is not good. I'm sorry, I don't know any other way to say it.
I am not a vet nor an expert. I don't really know how to read any xray, but the "mass" in the abdomen to me would be something like Salpingitis or possibly EYP. (RED CIRCLE).
I don't really see any fragmented egg shell, what all those little pieces in there that you see, look to me, to be grit, oyster shell and/orfeed. (GREEN ARROW)

With this being in the abdomen, there is no way to "draw" it out. Sadly, I will say that mass will continue to grow, the body will likely keep adding layers to that in an attempt to encapsulate it.
Surgery on chickens is very risky and expensive- usually they don't even survive. Even if a vet could clean that out, she might not recover at all. Suprelorin implants would also likely need to be given every 3months or so to stop ovulation.
Chickens aren't like dogs or cats where you can really give them a hysterectemy.

See what you vet says, but if she were mine and I saw this, sadly, I would put her out of her misery. Once that was done, then I would open her up to see exactly what that was.

Just my 2¢

View attachment 1567613

Thank you for your very honest and thoughtful reply. I would have thought that she would have been so sick by now by what everyone is describing.

I will give her Motrin as described as well. To make sure she is comfortable.

There are several things that are contradictory.
We have been measuring her abdomen in the same place every day and it is going down by 1.5 inches in the past 24 hours.
She has regular poop, white/black and semi formed.
She was never fed grit or oyster shell until after the X-ray. She could have self selected some grit from the ground but definitely no oyster shell.
I did find her in the corner one time only but she is in a 20’ x 8’ coop completely by herself so not sure if that is still an instinct to protect herself?
We can not justify spending anymore money on her as far as surgery.
My plan is to see what the dr says. Keep giving her the antibiotics I have until he prescribed something else. Epsom soak. Calcium & Vitamin D3. Motrin. I will continue to monitor her behaviors & the color of her comb, brightness of her eyes and make sure she is eating & drinking.

If she develops any respiratory symptoms, stops eating/drinking/pooping or shows signs of regressing then we will have to make those decisions. But I do not see a reason to put her down when she is showing signs of improving.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Try not to feed chickens dog or cat food

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for your very honest and thoughtful reply. I would have thought that she would have been so sick by now by what everyone is describing.

I will give her Motrin as described as well. To make sure she is comfortable.

There are several things that are contradictory.
We have been measuring her abdomen in the same place every day and it is going down by 1.5 inches in the past 24 hours.
She has regular poop, white/black and semi formed.
She was never fed grit or oyster shell until after the X-ray. She could have self selected some grit from the ground but definitely no oyster shell.
I did find her in the corner one time only but she is in a 20’ x 8’ coop completely by herself so not sure if that is still an instinct to protect herself?
We can not justify spending anymore money on her as far as surgery.
My plan is to see what the dr says. Keep giving her the antibiotics I have until he prescribed something else. Epsom soak. Calcium & Vitamin D3. Motrin. I will continue to monitor her behaviors & the color of her comb, brightness of her eyes and make sure she is eating & drinking.

If she develops any respiratory symptoms, stops eating/drinking/pooping or shows signs of regressing then we will have to make those decisions. But I do not see a reason to put her down when she is showing signs of improving.

Hopefully the vet visit will be positive, please keep us posted.

 

[Peppercorngal]

My friendliest hen, Beverly, was internally laying. Her belly was like a balloon, she started waddling around because of it and became lethargic. She would stay on a roost in the coop every other day and not come out to eat or drink all day. I thought for sure she was going to die.( We don't have money for vets and such for a chicken that cost $3.) I was wrong! In the past two months her belly has gone down to normal, she is coming out of the coop daily (sometimes first!), she's full of energy, eating, drinking and acting brand new! She was able to reabsorb the eggs in her belly! Miracles can happen so don't give up! This photo is Bev today. Such a nice girl and I'm glad she made it through!

 

[TMChickens]

My friendliest hen, Beverly, was internally laying. Her belly was like a balloon, she started waddling around because of it and became lethargic. She would stay on a roost in the coop every other day and not come out to eat or drink all day. I thought for sure she was going to die.( We don't have money for vets and such for a chicken that cost $3.) I was wrong! In the past two months her belly has gone down to normal, she is coming out of the coop daily (sometimes first!), she's full of energy, eating, drinking and acting brand new! She was able to reabsorb the eggs in her belly! Miracles can happen so don't give up! This photo is Bev today. Such a nice girl and I'm glad she made it through!
View attachment 1567660

Awe @Peppercorngal !! Thank you for the uplifting and wonderful story! I am so happy for your beautiful Beverly! We have been cuddling our Foghorn and holding her while she sleeps and she seems to love the attention. We are throwing everything we have at this and hope with care and love we can pull her through this. I hope she fares as well as your Beverly. Thank you!

 

[TMChickens]

Try not to feed chickens dog or cat food

Thank you for the thoughtful reminder. We do not normally feed dog/cat food our chicks. We were trying to make sure she had anything she wants to eat (used wet dog food for oyster shells). We feared she wasn’t going to make it so we tried everything we had. She really is just nibbling a little but at everything.