# Ascities in hen



## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

I have a hen who has had her abdomen filling up with liquid over maybe a month or two. She hasn't laid any eggs for a few years I'm guessing, but the full of liquid abdomen is fairly new. I know a way to get the liquid out with a 16 or 18 gauge needle in her abdomen and suck about 2 syringes full of the liquid out, and that if you do too much she could go into shock.

My question is, should I be worried to do this? I got the supply's to do this at TSC a week ago and I've just put it off because I'm so worried about doing it. Anyone here had experience with draining a hens abdomen? and again should I be worried?

Redface the hen with the swollen abdomen is 4 years old and she is a Buff Orpington. She is acting less energetic today but she still runs walks and makes some sounds. She also eats and drinks too.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

chickenhen said:


> I have a hen who has had her abdomen filling up with liquid over maybe a month or two. She hasn't laid any eggs for a few years I'm guessing, but the full of liquid abdomen is fairly new. I know a way to get the liquid out with a 16 or 18 gauge needle in her abdomen and suck about 2 syringes full of the liquid out, and that if you do too much she could go into shock.
> 
> My question is, should I be worried to do this? I got the supply's to do this at TSC a week ago and I've just put it off because I'm so worried about doing it. Anyone here had experience with draining a hens abdomen? and again should I be worried?


I've done it several times and know of many other people that have done it. Doing it will not cure her, but it might buy her some time.

Where did you read that they could go into shock if you remove more than two syringes? I usually remove as much as possible, which is usually about 500ml.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

FWIW, I would not drain her unless she looked like the pictures of the hen that I posted in your other thread.


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## chickychickenhens (Sep 11, 2015)

She pribalybhad egg York peritonis


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

My hen probably looks like that but I wouldn't know unless she was wet like that hen. She has also started to walk alittle downward like her belly is heavier.

I saw a YouTube video on draining hens and they said that if you drain too much at once it could stress the hen.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

Double post


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

chickychickenhens said:


> She pribalybhad egg York peritonis


My hen had egg yolk in her belly and cancer. I have the necropsy pictures if you want to see them.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Kathy, Is an egg yolk peritonitis abdomen firmer than an ascites?


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

seminolewind said:


> Kathy, Is an egg yolk peritonitis abdomen firmer than an ascites?


A belly full of fluid feels the same regardless of what's causing it, but a belly full of masses will feel different.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

My other hen who passed away had hard bumps in her belly... Masses?


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

chickenhen said:


> My other hen who passed away had hard bumps in her belly... Masses?


Could have been cancer, infection or maybe fatty liver.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

If it where infection could it have been cured or treated with antibiotics and what is fatty liver?


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

chickenhen said:


> If it where infection could it have been cured or treated with antibiotics and what is fatty liver?


If an infection were spotted early on, and it did not involve egg yolks in the abdominal cavity, antibiotics might have helped. Fatty liver... Hard for me to explain, probably best to google that or have someone else explain it.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Fatty liver is rather complicated, it's not really the type of fat we think of but is still a fat substance that is part of the liver's surface. It disrupts the the ability of the liver to do it's job because it takes the place of normal cells that allow the organ to function fully.

In humans it's most commonly seen in alcoholics.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

Is there any way to prevent it?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Ascites or fatty liver? 

Fatty liver in poultry is most often seen in birds that are too fat.

Ascites, stay away from hatchery birds. It's not 100% since breeder birds can have it happen, they just don't have it occur any where near the numbers that hatchery birds do.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

Ok thanks,
I held off on the draining with the needle and I gave her antibiotic to see if the "swelling" goes away and if it does I think like you said, for my other hen...infection?

If it doesn't I will drain her in a few days or two.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I know that the usual cause of egg yolk peritonitis is e. coli that has gotten in to the egg canal and went up and infected the ovary. 

Ascites, I don't know.


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## chickychickenhens (Sep 11, 2015)

It sounds sort of like lashegg???


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## chickychickenhens (Sep 11, 2015)

Because it's an infection couldn't have been lash? Sounds likebjt too me


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

I don't think so I didn't see any lash eggs.


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## chickychickenhens (Sep 11, 2015)

Whatbcolod was her poop if it was yellow it could have been fatty liver or maybe svdn lash eggs


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## chickychickenhens (Sep 11, 2015)

Sorry about my terrible typing I'm using a phone with a small screen.


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

It may have been fatty liver or lash eggs, most likely though it was internal laying like most people have said.

Internal laying can't be prevented nor stopped once started but can be slowed down by draining the yolk fluid from her abdomen. After doing so always keep her inside and make sure she's OK. You should also give an internal layer antibiotics like tetracycline which works well for chickens. I've used it once even though it's supositly for fish but oh well, it works!


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