Is This The End?

[kjorgey]

I have had a small flock of 7 hens since April 2020. I am down to 3. All but one have died of unknown natural causes. All died suddenly, without much warning, except for the one who met its end with a fox. A necropsy on one hen showed death from renal failure, as she only had 1 kidney. They were all loved and cared for, even spoiled. It was a very long winter and this week is their first week to get out in the nice weather. I noticed one girl over the past 3 days had diarrhea (yellow to green) and isn't eating well. I've washed her well and don't see evidence of any parasites or infections or fly strike. Her comb looks limp and has a bluish tinge to the tips. All she wants to do is lay in the coop away from the other hens. Her breast and crop area feel like there is fluid build up (ascites) and her breathing started to appear more labored this afternoon. She does not appear to be in pain and is not aggressive in her demeanor. I also don't believe she has been laying for the past few months as she used to lay whopper size eggs. She appears comfortable in the place I have laid her by her food and water. The other 2 hens are perfectly normal and not aggressive to their coop mate. I can't identify anything that could warrant immediate intervention like sour crop, as their diet has been primarily commercial feed until recently they were let outside to forage in my fenced in garden area. It could be an impacted or ruptured egg, but I don't want to stress her any further by taking her to the vet or examining her . I think I'm answering my own question, but is this the normal dying process for an older hen that I am witnessing?

 

[kjorgey]

I have had a small flock of 7 hens since April 2020. I am down to 3. All but one have died of unknown natural causes. All died suddenly, without much warning, except for the one who met its end with a fox. A necropsy on one hen showed death from renal failure, as she only had 1 kidney. They were all loved and cared for, even spoiled. It was a very long winter and this week is their first week to get out in the nice weather. I noticed one girl over the past 3 days had diarrhea (yellow to green) and isn't eating well. I've washed her well and don't see evidence of any parasites or infections or fly strike. Her comb looks limp and has a bluish tinge to the tips. All she wants to do is lay in the coop away from the other hens. Her breast and crop area feel like there is fluid build up (ascites) and her breathing started to appear more labored this afternoon. She does not appear to be in pain and is not aggressive in her demeanor. I also don't believe she has been laying for the past few months as she used to lay whopper size eggs. She appears comfortable in the place I have laid her by her food and water. The other 2 hens are perfectly normal and not aggressive to their coop mate. I can't identify anything that could warrant immediate intervention like sour crop, as their diet has been primarily commercial feed until recently they were let outside to forage in my fenced in garden area. It could be an impacted or ruptured egg, but I don't want to stress her any further by taking her to the vet or examining her . I think I'm answering my own question, but is this the normal dying process for an older hen that I am witnessing? This shows the boggy swelling after giving her a good wash.

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes, I would consider that normal. And I agree with you, no need to stress her incredibly by a vet trip and not change the outcome.

 

[K0k0shka]

What breed is she? Production breeds are more prone to developing ascites. And as you probably know, there is no cure for it and it's ultimately fatal. It makes it difficult for the chicken to breathe, resulting in oxygen deprivation, which is showing up as the blue tinge on her comb. She isn't peaceful - she is unable to breathe properly, so she is staying in place so as to limit the amount of oxygen she needs. Moving about makes her difficult breathing even more difficult. So she is quietly suffering. Letting her be is only prolonging the inevitable and prolonging her suffering. The humane thing would be to put her down as soon as possible. If you can't do it yourself, take her to the vet. A relatively brief stressful trip to the vet, followed by actual peace forever, is more humane than letting her languish for an unknown amount of time in agony like this. Prey animals don't show distress, so she won't cry for help or tell you how horrible her life is. She will just suffer in silence until she dies. Help her out.

 

[Mrs. K]

I respectfully disagree. She will just slip away. Less breathing just weakens them, they will just be more comma like, and then gone. If you can cull them, it is a good thing. But really it won't matter.

 

[kjorgey]

What breed is she? Production breeds are more prone to developing ascites. And as you probably know, there is no cure for it and it's ultimately fatal. It makes it difficult for the chicken to breathe, resulting in oxygen deprivation, which is showing up as the blue tinge on her comb. She isn't peaceful - she is unable to breathe properly, so she is staying in place so as to limit the amount of oxygen she needs. Moving about makes her difficult breathing even more difficult. So she is quietly suffering. Letting her be is only prolonging the inevitable and prolonging her suffering. The humane thing would be to put her down as soon as possible. If you can't do it yourself, take her to the vet. A relatively brief stressful trip to the vet, followed by actual peace forever, is more humane than letting her languish for an unknown amount of time in agony like this. Prey animals don't show distress, so she won't cry for help or tell you how horrible her life is. She will just suffer in silence until she dies. Help her out.

She is resting comfortably in our home on soft bedding with a heat lamp on her in a quiet, peaceful place where I can check on her regularly. She still responds to me coming in and stroking her head as she has in the past. She has been a pet and faithful companion in the garden for 5 years. I think this is best. The last chicken I took to the vet in such a state died as soon as I got there. The stress of the car ride did her in.

 

[kjorgey]

I respectfully disagree. She will just slip away. Less breathing just weakens them, they will just be more comma like, and then gone. If you can cull them, it is a good thing. But really it won't matter.

She is resting comfortably in our home on soft bedding with a heat lamp on her in a quiet, peaceful place where I can check on her regularly. She still responds to me coming in and stroking her head as she has in the past. She has been a pet and faithful companion in the garden for 5 years. I think this is best. The last chicken I took to the vet in such a state died as soon as I got there. The stress of the car ride did her in. I can't bear to cull her or put her through that after 5 years of tending her and the flock with love and care.

 

[Mrs. K]

You are doing fine.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I agree with Mrs K. At this point, do what stresses YOU the least.

 

[PennelopeSpeaks]

I had a chicken with excess fluid build-up up aka ascites a couple of years back. She had similar symptoms to those you are describing. I took her to the vet where they were able to remove the fluid by using a needle and syringe to suck it out from her abdomen and she was back to normal the next day! Although the fluid did continue to build up I was able to repeat the procedure every couple weeks or so and she lived for many more months until the fluid build up was to exponential to keep up. I don't know if your hen is experiencing the same thing, but maybe this could help. I hope for the best for her!