majuka Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Hi All I would be grateful for any advice about Emma (nearly 3 years old ex battery hen). Up until last Monday I had no concerns about her. Last Sunday we'd shut her in the run with the others as we had gone out that afternoon. Checked on them last thing at night - all seemed fine. Monday morning Emma would not come out of the ark by herself. I lifted her down and she had no interest in eating / drinking or moving around. Since the New Year we'd already lost two girls to peritonitis so I was taking no chances. I rushed Emma to the vets that day. We have a good vet who sees a fair few chickens so is knowlegable. He checked her crop, mouth, abdomen, listened to her heart, took her temperature & weighed her. There was nothing physically wrong with her that he could find. Since then I can only describe Emma as 'not being quite right' - helpful I know! She became a little bit withdrawn, loosing appetite but drinking and not as busy as the others. Since Emma's vet visit last Monday we have now lost her close friend Georgina to peritonitis on Thursday, resulting in even more withdrawn behaviour from Emma. She seemed to pick up (although not quite her usual self) but my concern now is she does not seem to be eating her pellets. She will eat mealworms and sweatcorn and pasta etc. Her crop feels normal texture but small, which goes hand in hand with not eating much. She feels thin around her keel. I have tried to weigh her tonight but she was having none of it and kept jumping off the scales. From the brief look at the scales that I got, I think she has lost weight since last Monday. History: she went throught a molt around Oct / Nov when she loast her appetite then. She was last wormed about Sep / Oct and they have flubenvet in their pellets at present (not that she seems to be eating them though). They are fed ex batts pellets, which they have been having for months, this bag is about half way through, it is in date and not damaged / damp or anything unusual. The other girls are all eating it. Comb is a good colour, slightly floppier than normal but not pale or flakey. Droppings are now on and off slightly yolky in colour so I am dreading yet another case of peritonitis. Her demeandour has been brighter though than last week. In herself she is looking realtively perky - just no appetite. Any ideas? Could she be depressed about so many losses and that is why she is not eating? Is it time I took her back to the vets? We are fairly sure she laid an egg on the Saturday before she started behaving oddly on the Monday. Could she be sad and off colour if she is going through the hen menopause? Any advice / ideas grateful received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Is there a softy on the way? Mine behave like this til they've laid it, then they're fine. I hope she recovers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Thank you for your reply Patricia. I guess that there could well be, I'm hoping that it is something simple like that. I don't think we can take losing another our of girls so soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Am sorry to hear Emma is not well. They are such a worry, it must feel even worse after your recent losses. Don't know if this will work for Emma, but in the past I have been able to tempt non-eating ex-batts with mash (I either give them the ex-batt crumb or grind some pellets down with a pestle and mortar), either dry or with water (so it's a porridgey consistence) or a bit of yoghurt. Could it be that she has a minor internal infection of some sort (maybe exacerbated by losing her flockmates, cold weather, etc)? Might be worth speaking to your vet about her off-colour droppings, especially if he has seen her recently. I have never done it, but others on here speak highly of Retfords for testing droppings for bacteria/worms (or your vet may be willing to do it for you). Apart from being light, she sounds as if she is in reasonable shape (and your vet sounds very thorough!) so even if it is peritonitis, it need not be curtains just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Thank you Alet for your suggestions. I did try mashing her pellets with water which she ate initially but then refused. She is a big fan of yoghurt so I will try hiding some mashed pellets in there for her and see if she will eat it. I am concerned as I have weighed her again and she has lost quite a bit of weight since last week. I am actually off to see the vet in about half an hour so let's hope he has some suggestions... Thanks again for your support, I will let you know how we get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Well, not a good update on Emma. Last Monday she weighed 2.1 kilos, on the same scales tonight she weighs 1.7 kilos. Our vet can feel something in her abdomen tonight, he has suggested a tumour. We've lost a couple of girls to tumours and they did well on frusemeide and went on for 4 and 7 months after diganosis. He has suggested that this one is slightly different in that it is more fleshy feeling Emma has got some antibiotics in case there is some peritonitis in there although her abdomen feels soft and not hard and full of fluid. He has also given her some steriods. It is so frustrating because in herself she is back to normal, just off her food and loosing weight at an incredible rate. I think tomorrow I will get some mashed pellets in her yoghurt and try and get some weight back on her. I just wish that it was something simple like a bit of lash he could feel and off her food because she feels poorly. Hopefully the steroids and antibotics will kick in but I worry that we are in for yet another loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Keeping fingers crossed the antibiotics and steroids will kick in to improve things. Good luck to Emma, let us know what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Thanks Alet, I'll let you know how Emma gets on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 You might like to pop a poop sample of to Retfords to check for various bacterias?. I have a similar thing with one of mine but she is only 6 months released , and I lost her "sister" a month ago to prolapsed lumps only a few days before a real old girl with a tumour My girls lump is near her vent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Emma update - much improvement today (I am trying to be realistic, I know that after the steriods and antibiotics stop she could just crash again but I'm hoping with everything I've got!). Let her down this morning and she rushed to eat her pellets, she didn't eat masses but it is a definite improvement on the last few days. It's been handy because I'm off work with a really bad cold so instead of spending it warm in bed where I should be, I keep checking on the girls. I've seen Emma attack the grass with real gusto, munch her yogurt and corn and race across the garden, wings out (she needs to be careful she doesn't take off in this wind!) Droppings are looking a lot more normal today as well. I just really hope that she can pull though this and she doesn't take a turn for the worse when the injections stop. She is so lively it's hard to believe there is something wrong. I really appreciate the support and please continue to keep your fingers crossed for our gorgeous girl. I'll give updates on her progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Im so pleased she has improved and hope it continues. They are such dear little things and really get into our hearts so hope she is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egghead68 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Fingers crossed for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Just a quick update on Emma - so far so good! She is eating better and running around, droppings have firmed up and she has put some weight back on! She will have her last antibiotic injection later today so unless there is any deterioration after the antibiotics stop, I am hoping that she will make it although there is still the hard lump that the vet could feel that could still be a tumour. Thank you very much for your well wishes, they are obviously working! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 I don't believe this post ... it could ne me writing but I am a day or so behind you, having cancelled "THE appointment " Saturday . hope mine probgresses like yours, I am very happy for you x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 I hope your girl does well too Sandy . I guess for Emma, tomorrow onwards will indicate if it is just the antibiotics keeping her happy. We've not found any lash so I'm guessing what the vet could feel was a tumour, I don't know how long lashes take to pass. We get so attached to our girls don't we? As I put previously, two of our girls have had tumours in the past and had a happy time after diagnosis. I'm keeping everything crossed that Emma will still be with us for a good while yet. She's a funny girl. When we collected her in 2009 girls we had 3 of our old ex batts left, we decided to take 3 more. Our collection date was later in August but the BHWT did an earlier last minute collection from a new farm and because it was last minute they didn't have enough rehomers for all their girls. They asked how many we'd come for and we said 3, they said would you like any more? Sadly our coop only holds 7 so we could have had 4 more. We weren't sure and said that we would make up our minds as they loaded our 3. Whilst they were getting the 3 in, Emma strolled over and had a look in our carrier. Decision made, she was our bonus girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 She MAY have passed a lash and it was eaten???? I am still in EXACTLY same place as you the lump though is still there and described now as soft and "a thickening" it is such a worry, but ATMIT mine is very very slowly picking up and eating weany amounts. I am using CC formula and Guardian Angel alternately,(but not all day, just for top ups) and she is eating bits of "the wrong things" like biscuits.. Fingers crossed for them both Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Ewwww, I've seen bits of lash from time to time so never considered them eating it - maybe this one was really juicy Fingers crossed for both of our girls and thanks again for your well wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 oh they will eat it alright, they will even peck at it at the vent on the way out!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 How's your little girl now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 How's your little girl now? Thank you for asking all seems great with Emma. She is rushing around like a mad thing, munching her food, happy, normal self. I'm not sure what to think really because she seems 'normal'. I know with the Clarissa and Martha (our previous two with tumours) they did well but were visibly slower than the other girls whereas Emma is mad for everything. I am more coming round to the idea that she was depressed by the loss of so many of the flock, had some sort of infection that the antibotics sorted and it could have been a lash that the vet felt that has been passed and eaten (thanks Sandy!). She is putting the weight back on and is a very happy girl, fingers crossed that she stays that way for a long time yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 That's really good news! I think they like to worry us.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 You're not wrong there! Finally I am able to sleep again at night, I was so worried and so upset for poor Emma. We have already lost three of our girls this year (all to peritonitis) and I just couldn't face losing a fourth and the upset that the remainder of our girls would go through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
