Omlet Cube chicken coop and walk in run for sale £900

[chickenlicken72]

After recovering from impacted crop and then repeated bouts of sour crop (which touch wood have now subsided) my little hen Trinny has what I think is peritonitis. She has an abdomen filled with fluid, tight to the touch which has gradually come on over the last month. She stopped laying anything but the very odd softee about 2 months ago. She has yet to truely walk like John Wayne, does not seem to have a temperature, is no way struggling to breath or gasping for breath and is still very much top chook and enjoying her life (she can run as fast as all the others for a mealworm). However, I have read some very honest accounts on this and other forums that suggest that the increasing amount of fluid will ultimately impact on her ability to breath and kill her.

 

Obviously I don't her to suffer but whilst she is still very much enjoying her life is there anything I can do to help alleviate / prolong her outlook. Assuming this is peritonitis (are there any other conditions that cause fluid build up in the abdomen?).. i have read that the following may help:

1) changing the diet to a less rich (non-layers?) formulation

2) inducing a moult/winter conditions (4 hours light a day for 4 days and then confined to darkness) so that hens stop laying and they may reabsorb some of the liquid(?)

3) draining the fluid

4) Superloin implant

5) Baytril for 7 days and Metacam to reduce the pain

 

Some of the articles suggest that hens manage with this condition for several years? Does anyone have any experience or advice on these methods? Did any of them work or were they just prolonging the inevitable?

 

Ultimately I know I have a 'knackered hen' but I would like her last days/months/years to be as pain free as possible. At the moment this is not critical as she is still in every other way full of health but I would hate to ignore this if there was something I could do to help.

 

Many thanks for your help!

[Chucky Mama]

I have a bluebelle with peritonitis. When diagnosed she had been laying softies and was poorly enough to be moping around under shrubs with her tail down, quite obviously unwell. She was full and tight but not bad enough for it to be giving her issues with breathing. We drained a fair bit of straw coloured fluid off her and also a little yolk. We did not give her antibiotics as we felt the procedure had been pretty sterile and we don't like unnecessary ab's being given. WIthin minutes she was much happier. I had expected to have to cull her a week or so afterwards as suspected she would refill quickly. We are however (and I touch wood as I say this as don't want to tempt fate ) about 2-3 months down the line and she has a lovely new set of feathers and is a fit as a fiddle. I am under no illusions, she will refill but if she can have a decent length of time between draining - which isn't awfully traumatic, I am happy and so is she. Good luck with your hen

[Space Chick]

How did you do the draining Rach?

[Chucky Mama]

It was just a case of popping in a wide bore needle and draining with a syringe. As it is an invasive abdominal procedure it should only be done by a vet legally (OH is qualified to do this). No GA, sedative or local was given. In fact she sat quite happily in my arms. It took about 2 minutes to prep her abdomen (clean properly) and 1 minute to drain if that. We drained 2 sites. 1 got the fluid, the other got yolk - this was unintentional, we thought we would just get more fluid.

[chickenlicken72]

Thank you for the words of wisdom. In the end I decided to take her to the vet (to perhaps drain or prescribe a previously unknown miracle cure?) and he pretty much said that whilst she is still happy and enjoying life then he felt there was little choice but to leave her as she is. He is an experienced exotics vet and has tried many a remedy for this sort of condition in the past and said that most attempts were unsuccessful. So Trinny is going to enjoy her hentirement for along as she can back with her friends . she came back from the vets and assumed her role as doorhen/gatekeeper to the cube ensuring that the other hens going to bed were on the list to be allowed in - she even gave them all a little peck good night

[Chucky Mama]

It's shame that he didn't drain any of the fluid away especially if she is full and 'tight'. It is a huge relief for them physically not to have that fluid on board and pushing on their internal organs. Whilst not a cure it relieves a lot of discomfort. However you will keep an eye on her and ensure that she is happy Hope that she has a long and happy hentirement.

[chickenlicken72]

My little red hen finally gave up her little fight this morning and is now chasing worms and playing sweetcorn swingball in henny heaven. In spirit, she was a little fighter but her body gave out on her. She died peacefully sat on my lap.

 

RIP Little Trinny

[Pikey]

Ahhhhh bless her....least she was with mum when it was her time.

 

Sorry to her about your loss ...RIP Trinny xx

[dancing cloud]

So sorry to hear about Trinny . I've lost a couple with peritonitis and they both went very peacefully in the end, Daisy in her sleep and Hope on my knee. No consolation at the moment, but Trinny clearly had a very happy life full of love and care.