PENGUIN CHICKEN WALK

 

1.       Egg Bound Chicken

• Penguin Walk: Typical sign of egg-binding is a penguin stand
• Nestbox Sitting Behavior: Stays in the nesting box, but doesn’t lay
• Tail Pumping
• Distended Abdomen: The chicken’s abdomen will be significantly larger than usual 
• Lameness: If the retained egg pressures the pelvic nerves, the hen may become lame
• Loss Of Appetite
• Diarrhea
• Constipation: Smaller chickens can be constipated instead of having diarrhea
• Altered Breathing: Heavy breathing (dyspnea) is possible if the retained egg pressures the air sacs 
• Shaking: The constant straining and unsuccessful laying attempts result in exhaustion and shaking 
• Cyanosis: The comb may turn blue-purple due to low oxygen levels

First Aid for Egg-Bound Chickens

• Calm Environment: Separate the egg-bound chicken from the rest of the flock and place it in a calm, stress-free, and temperature-controlled room. 
• Rehydration: Rehydrate the chicken using water or electrolyte solutions. Remember that its natural fluid intake is decreased, meaning you will probably have to use a syringe or dropper. Adding calcium and vitamin D supplements is also recommended. 
• Moist heat: Place the chicken in an incubator covered with wet towels or bathe the chicken in lukewarm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Lubricate the vent area: Lubricate the chicken’s vent area or cloaca using a lubricant gel.

Do NOT:

• Massage the abdomen, as you may break the egg
• Use vegetable oils for lubrication as they quickly go bad
• Postpone veterinary attention. You have less than 48 hours to remove the egg.

 

2.       Egg Yolk Peritonitis

Egg yolk peritonitis is the second possible cause for your chicken to walk upright like a penguin. It is a severe condition in chickens where the egg yolk splits into their body cavity instead of going through the usual path. This causes inflammation in the membrane covering the chickens’ organs, making them sit upright. Egg Yolk Peritonitis is a life-threatening situation.

Symptoms of egg yolk peritonitis include: 

·         Penguin-like stance: Typical sign of egg yolk peritonitis

·         Waddling gait

·         Enlarged, hard abdomen: The chicken’s abdomen will be larger and harder than usual. 

·         Fewer eggs or no eggs at all

·         Difficulty breathing

·         Soft-shelled eggs

·         Malformed eggs: Often elongated eggs or weirdly shaped eggs

·         Lethargic behavior: Also calm behavior and spending a lot of time inside the coop

·         Decreased appetite

Chickens with egg yolk peritonitis stop laying eggs or at least decrease egg production. If they continue to lay, the eggs are usually thin-shelled, soft-shelled, or otherwise deformed.

Treatment of Egg Yolk Peritonitis

The treatment for egg yolk peritonitis depends on the severity of the condition.

Milder cases can be treated with the following:

·         Anti-Inflammatories (NSAIDs): For inflammation management

·         Supportive Care: Isolating the hen and providing easy food/water access

3.       Salingitis (Causing Lash Eggs)

Lash eggs aren’t real chicken eggs but round-shaped conglomerates of tissue and discharge from a chicken’s inflamed oviduct. Viral and bacterial infections, like Salmonella, MG, and E.Coli are common causes of Salpingitis. Treating lash eggs involves using antibiotics, such as tetracyclines, to address the underlying infection.

  

Symptoms of Lash Eggs in Chickens

Typical symptoms of Salpingitis are:

·         Lash Eggs: finding fleshy meat lumps in the coop or nesting box is a typical sign of Salpingitis.

·         Eggs with stress: If the hen is still laying you’ll fin lines if the hen is still laying.

·         Soft-shell eggs

·         Abnormally shaped eggs: Eggs with marks or weird shapes can be a sign of Salpingitis.

·         Eggs that have streaks of blood on their shell

·         Gradual weight loss

·         Depression

·         Heavy, enlarged abdomen

·         Ruffled feathers

·         Excessive thirst

·         Labored breathing: mainly when associated with a respiratory infection

·         Upright penguin stance

·         Sudden deaths in the flock

It can be difficult for a chicken owner to understand exactly what’s wrong as the disease sometimes acts quickly. Still, in other cases, it can take up to several months for the bird to manifest a clinical picture.

Treatment of Lash Eggs in Chickens

Ideal lash egg treatment includes a detailed diagnosis and depends on the bacteria that cause salpingitis. Further treatment measures include:

·         Use of antibiotics: often, tetracyclines are the go-to antibiotics, but Amoxicillin, Gentamicin, Penicillin, and Chlortetracycline are also used.

·         Give your chicken a break from egg laying: through changes in environment, diet, and hormone levels, using antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs like meloxicam).

·         Use Prostaglandins, like PGE2: can help the chicken’s oviduct squeeze out pus, lash eggs, or fluid that might be stuck in there.

·         Combine with retrograde flushing of the oviduct: Retrograde flushing is a medical procedure where saline is passed in via the vent to remove any blockages or buildup of material.

·         Last resort is the surgical removal of the uterus and oviduct: As the problem will often return the only definitive treatment is surgery.

 

4.        Water Belly (Ascites)

Water belly, also known as Ascites, is a severe condition in which chickens experience a swollen and mushy fluid-filled abdomen. This condition primarily affects broilers, chickens that are raised for meat production, in which the rapid growth of the chicken overwhelms its heart, resulting in increased blood pressure. This causes fluids to leak into the belly and lungs, potentially with a fatal outcome.

 

Symptoms of Water Belly

Symptoms of water belly in chickens include:

·         Distended, swollen belly: a squishy belly filled with liquid

·         Difficulty breathing: also includes panting, gurgling sounds, shortness of breath

·         Pale, blue, or purple comb

·         Red belly skin: including missing feathers around the belly area

·         Impaired growth: abnormal rate of development compared to others

·         Lethargy

·         Acute death

How to Treat Water Belly in Chickens

To treat water belly (ascites) in chickens:

·         Extract build-up fluid in the belly with a syringe. The first step is to use a syringe to drain the fluid in the belly, which will help to alleviate the pain.

·         Adjust feed intake, temperature, and lower altitude: anything above 1500m/4900ft is inappropriate for raising meat chickens.

·         Treat any secondary respiratory disease

·         Apply medication like furosemide or digoxin

·         Supplement with L-arginine, CoQ10, Omega-3, vitamin C, E

Initially, treating water belly, or Ascites, involves addressing the symptoms and using a syringe to drain the fluid in the belly. This will help to relieve the pain.

Nevertheless, it’s important to recognize that this approach does not resolve the underlying issue of pulmonary hypertension. This means the swelling in the belly may recur over time.

We advise seeking professional veterinary advice for fluid extraction, as it is essential to exercise caution to prioritize the well-being of your chicken.