I have 5 different breeds of hens, all with distinct behaviors, personalities and colors of eggs. Delaware Whites are beautiful, heavy white hens with a cocktail ruffle of black feathers, and they are gentle and calm. They are known as a heritage poultry breed because their ancestry goes back hundreds of years. Apparently their meat is tender and delicious. I wouldn’t know because I love them for their eggs and their amusing ways. The following is a sad story, but one from which I learned.
One of my Delaware White hens was walking oddly — sort of squatting and waddling like a duck. I thought that she might be “egg bound.” This happens when un-processed or incomplete egg material plugs the egg duct. This duct runs parallel to the anal canal. She was still eating and drinking and looked unusually plump. This was the first time I had ever had to handle such a situation. After some research and talking to some local poultry folks, I developed a plan. My friend, Sarah, on whose farm my hens live, would be my medical assistant. I would buy some KY jelly and use a large syringe to introduce the lubricant into the vent. The pharmacist and his helper nearly wet their pants when I told them what I was planning to do.
As per the plan, Sarah held her and I administered the medication. We put her down on the ground and watched her. She ruffled her feathers over the indignity and waddled into a little dog house we keep in the pen for extra shelter . . . and stayed there. Not a good sign.
I put her in a cat crate and brought her home for further triage. My son, Trey, held her while I applied warm compresses to her bottom. Then I massaged the area with vitamin E oil. Suddenly, she gasped a couple of times and died. Went absolutely stiff as a board. I decided I wanted to know WHY she died. So I called my favorite red-neck friends, Nancy and Larry (they call themselves that, so it’s O.K.). Larry said he would do the autopsy the following morning.
I kept the deceased in the garage overnight, and at 10:30 the next morning took her over to their farm. Larry is retired and a ‘Nam vet. He suffers from PTSD, but is doing really well, all due to the love of a good woman, his wife Nancy. Larry led the way to the chopping block, got out his bone-handled pen knife and plucked a few feathers. He made the initial incision and at least a quart of clear yellow liquid shot out. The SMELL: Ohmygosh! And I was right in the line of fire. Due to the fluid, you might think of bladder blockage, but chickens don’t have bladders. Pee and poop come out of the same orifice. After the autopsy, Larry kindly cremated her (in the burn barrel).
Still not sure of the real diagnosis, I spoke with my vet. She suggested that my hen had an impacted crop which caused an accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. This gave the false impression of a fat, happy hen. I went online to Backyard Chickens, posted the symptoms, and asked for help. I was told that a fluid-filled abdomen is an indication of egg yolk peritonitis, as she had no sign of internal laying, or any broken eggs in the body cavity.
Sometimes it is difficult to let nature take its course. And sometimes it is what is meant to be.
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