Lizzie Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 (edited) HI Lucy keeps laying odd bits of membrane or clear sacs before / after she lays her eggs. She is mopey again this morning though eating and drinking Any ideas what is wrong and can we do anything to help ? Many thanks as always regards Liz Edited April 20, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 How old is she? Sounds as if something is amiss with her laying tackle. Perhaps some extra calcium might help, and cutting out all treats so that she is only getting optimum nutrition from her pellets for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 Hi Egluntine Thanks for your help. She is an ex batt she I guess around 2 years old though the latest three we adopted do seem younger than the other hens we adopted. Are there any ways we can tell ? I have them all on zolcal since we got them (seven weeks tomorrow), but not the max dose. I cut their treats right back from last Sunday. I just feel sorry for her as she was standing holding her leg up this morning looking uncomfortable. We felt around her underneath checking for perionitis as we have just lost a chook to this, but it seemed ok. There is nothing wrong with her foot My husband is at home and he has said that she is moving around in her run with the others. We will keep a close eye on her this evening and see how she is in the morning Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I hate to say this, but an ex-batt of that age will be prone to egg-tackle problems and it sounds like her shell gland is just knackered. Try Zolcal or limestone flour for extra calcium and see if that helps. I recently spoke to a lady with the same problem (the hen, not her!) and the shell gland was knackered, thankfully the hen stopped laying shortly afterwards, so she was spared the discomfort of laying softies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 I hope she does stop laying - all of the problems we seem to incurr are a result of laying / trying to lay eggs. I am going to take her to the vets this evening as she is not right and am worried in case she is in pain / discomfort. I will let you know how she gets on. Everything is crossed that she does not have perionitis as Pen had. Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I hope that she's OK. I'm afraid that after 72 wweeks of enforced battery laying, their egg bits just give up Not all ex-batts are like this, but some just get exhausted. Fingers crossed for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 Thanks very much Claret Will the vet be able to diagnose this by examining her and if it this, will she literally just stops laying ? Is there anything we can give her apart from extra Calcium to help her ? Kind regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 They can only diagnose shell gland exhaustion from symptoms and your description. And, so far as I know, there's nothing that can be done except to hope that she stops laying and just retires to potter around. The calcium will only help if she is low in that anyway, but I'd try them on a good poultry tonic as it won't do any harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 I took Lucy to the vets this evening and the vet is perplexed as to what can be wrong. She is not egg bound, but is slightly distentioned around her vent area. He checked to see if she had perionitis, but at this stage does not. Lucy is not egg bound and has no obvious signs of any particular chook disease / illness. The vet was however, quite concerned about bruising she has underneath. It runs full length along her breast bone, more to the left than the right. The vet has given her an injection of metacam and we have four further injections to do over the next four days. I have brought her home and popped her into our indoor isoloation ward with some arnica rubbed into the bruised areas, hoping that this will help any more bruising to come out. Lucy has not fallen or jumped around anywhere, its been 7 weeks since we got her from the BHWT, so surely any bruising would have come out already ? She has passed some yellowy urine with some blood in it this evening. Does anybody have any ideas what is wrong ? Worried mum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I would ring the vet tomorrow and mention the blood. Has she fallen and damaged a kidney do you think? The blood plus the bruising could hint at something like that. I hope she will be OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 As Egluntine has said, that doesn't sound too good. Do let us know what else the vet says. You're right in that any bumps sustained in the rescue will have shown before now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 I called the vet first thing and spoke to his colleague who also fortunately has some knowledge of chickens. I explained about the blood last night (none so far this morning) and he advised that the blood could be coming from three places; kidneys, intestines or ovaries. He agreed that she should be indoors and kept warm. If she gets worse to take her in, but basically to see how she goes. I have made her a hot water bottle which she is sitting on (she seems to really like it) and she has drunk quite a lot of water. I have also managed to interest her in eating some pellet porridge. Will keep a close eye on her and hope she gets over this. Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 Since yesterday morning Lucy has been drinking water and eating runny weetabix and a couple of beakfuls of pellet mash, not alot mind and generally, only when she is encouraged. However, whenever she does start to eat/drink, she literally falls asleep on her feet. She has not passed anymore blood, just a creamy coloured liquid with solid bits of poo and this morning there were pieces of a solid off white jelly substance that had been passed during the night. It looks to us that she is trying to pass something, her underneath does not feel swollen, though it does feel quite hot. The vet was adament that she is not egg bound. Her comb is fine, her eyes bright (when she can open them long enough) Any ideas ? Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 See if you can get some Avipro, either from your vet or online, to pop in the water/wet mash. It will help no end and might just perk her up. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Sorry to hear that Lucy is so poorly . You sound like you're doing everything possible to help her, well done . Fingers crossed for her . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 (edited) Lucy was taken to the vets this morning as she is still so poorly. Vet has just called to advise that they have done some blood tests, everything is ok except for slightly high white blood cell count and she is a bit dehydrated as expected with being so unwell. They have xrayed her and discovered she has two eggs stuck ! (so much for Friday's advice) They will now inject her with a hormone to try and get the contractions going again - this will be repeated. If both attempts fail, they advised she could have surgery to remove her oviducts, but her ovary's still could produce eggs and then the egg would just fall into the body cavity leading to egg perionitis. So, sadly, I have had to say that if the two hormone injections do not work, then she will have to be put to sleep as it wouuld not be fair to her to put her through so much Everything is crossed for her. I must also advise that the "thread" on poo is absolutely excellent - Lucy's matched the one on there 100% so definately worth checking. Regards Liz Edited April 20, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Sorry to hear that Lizzie, but at least you now have a definite diagnosis and can make decisions. I do hope that she lays the eggs eventually and that all is well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I echo what Claret has said . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 We have lost Lucy After two hormone injections, the eggs had not moved. In addition, the main egg (hard shelled) was so high up that it had pushed her liver up and was also restricting her breathing. She also had a grey area which could have been a tumor or her uterus could have twisted so maybe that is why she could not get the egg down. Anyway, I just felt the kindest thing was to let her go though it breaks my heart that she only had six weeks or so of freedom. I asked the vet why they live in such hellish conditions then come out and some fall ill so quickly. He explained that the farmers know when the hens are coming to the end and problems will arise so at that point get rid of them. We hadn't done anything wrong, its whether they are strong enough to get through things or not. This is the second hen we have lost in three weeks and it doesn't get any easier. We have buried her next to Pen the hen and hope they are both at peace now Very sad mum and dad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Oh no, I'm so sorry . Poor little Lucy, at least she's not in pain now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Sorry to hear it, but you have done the right thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 You have absolutely done the right thing - she knew a brief time of freedom before she went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 you did everything you possibly could and did the kindest thing you could have done in the end, sleep well little girl, very sad xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 So sorry to hear about Lucy. You did everything you could as a caring chook-mum. Sweet clucky dreams little Lucy. *hugs* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Thank you all so much for your kind words, its comforting to know there are other caring people out there. Best wishes Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
