Swollen Abdomen - pic included

[AllTheseCreatures]

I noticed today that one of the Easter Eggers is waddling and has poop crusting up her feathers. I picked her up and she's having a hard time breathing. So made a bucket of warm water and gave her a little cleaning. Once all the poop was off, realized her abdomen was really swollen. It feels hardish and it's the size of a softball. Her poop is very runny, which I suppose is why it was crusting up on her feathers.

She's pretty miserable. I've put her in a crate covered with a blanket in a quiet, warm part of the house. She's eating and drinking.

Other info:
She's about 4 years old. She is laying. No other hens showing symptoms.

Any suggestions?

 

[Enslaved-by-Ducks]

Is she laying eggs everyday ?

She might be egg-bound. Has she layed recently ?
I took my duck to the vet who was egg-bound when i noticed her belly was swollen and rock hard...she couldn't even walk right because her tummy was dragging on the ground. It was really sad.
I took her to the Vet and he said she will eventually absorb her yolk and would most likely be ok. He was right, and she is fine now. This is only a assumption so I may be wrong. Hope she gets better. Good sign that she is eating.
Dont give up. Animals are extremely capable of healing on their own I have found out.

 

[AllTheseCreatures]

She is laying. I'm pretty amazed now that I see the condition she's in. Her eggs are quite small, white and she lays about every other day.

 

[Ema]

I am sure you already did, but just in case I would give her a warm bath. and see if that clears up some of the irritation, however that still doesn't address the fact that she might be suffering from internal egg laying. search Eggbound and you will come across several good postings that will help you in this case. warm baths will help her though aswell as lubricating her vent maybe. Here is one of the links. but do a search for more answers. good luck, keep us posted,

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=77420

Ema

 

[AllTheseCreatures]

Thanks for the link Ema. I just noticed that McGoo has a thread up right now with a hen who has a similar problem. I really don't think she's egg bound. I guess I'll see how she's feeling in the a.m.

 

[CrestedGirl]

Hope she gets better, good luck

 

[AllTheseCreatures]

Nothing has changed today. I'm really not sure what to do with her. DH talked about putting her down and it doesn't sound like she's going to get better if it is internal laying.

 

[M@M@2four]

Isn't there something called, "Water belly?" that chickens can have?

 

[Country4ever]

She might have ascites, from who knows what.....maybe cancer, liver problems, etc.
You might have to drain her abdomen, but you have to be careful, since you can hit arteries.
Do you have a vet familiar with how to drain them? I watched an Avian specialist do it the first time to my hen, and then I did it myself about every 4 months after that.

 

[speckledhen]

This thread may be helpful to you. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362422