Budgies Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 The question says it all really! I still feel very upset that my little egg machine, Mango, suffered with egg peritonitis and we had to have her put to sleep. It seems so cruel that those that pop out eggs reliably should suffer so much as they age. So I'm considering going for all pure breeds - getting fewer eggs is not an issue for me, and I'm just wondering if peritonitis is mostly a hybrid problem or whether any pure breeds are also susceptible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I've had this thought myself, Budgies. I have lost 3 with peritonitis over recent months.....interestingly, all 'ginger' type hens....not all Omlet girls either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPoule Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I can't say for certain, as my vet really is a bit useless when it comes to chickens, but I am fairly certain that CeeCee had egg peritonitis. All the symptoms match up, but like I said, I can't be 100% sure. She was a lavender Pekin, and really not terribly generous in the egg-laying department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 One of my pure breeds had sterile peritonitis, but they are less susceptible to the egg version than hybrids as they lay less eggs, so their tackle is in better nick. My girl had the sterile version - nothing to do with eggs - caused by a leucosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 Thanks ever so much for your feedback. Sorry to hear about Cee Cee, La Poule and your girl too Clare. This might be illogical of me, but if it was peritonitis caused by leukosis I think I'd be more "ok" with it, than it being a specific malfunction of their egg laying tackle. The fact that a virus causes the tumours or growths in the former seems a bit more "normal" to me. (Like I said, it's probably not very logical! ) It still sounds as though they stand less chance of getting egg peritonitis when compared to the egg laying hybrids though doesn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
podstable Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Yes!!No reason why they should not, recently lost the only one I have had this problem with -a Silkie POL. Ist attempt at an egg, must have had some gynae. problem, very ill very fast , clinical septic . Just one of those things that chickens do I am afraid. Ros Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 So sorry to hear you lost a Silkie in such a horrible way Ros, that must have been hard. It may be that fewer people on this forum actually own pure breeds compared to the number of people owning hybrids, but the hens bred to lay extremely intensively do seem more prone overall. I spoke to a lady who made a home for lots of ex-batts and she lost 11 hens in 11 months, all to egg peritonitis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
