Chicken looks pregnant... Something is wrong.

[JasonJC]

What could this be?

She wobbles around like a duck...

 

[Dar]

when was the last time she laid an egg?

she could have started to lay internally

 

[JasonJC]

That's a good question. We have ten egg layers and the count has been down as of the last couple months. I have no idea who lays what eggs, so being specific in this area is out of the question.

If she has layed internally, how would I be sure and could I help her?

her pooper is clean and she eats and drinks as normal...

 

[Dar]

One of the mods... it was either speckled hen or miss prissy.... they had a hen that was an internal layer....

other then that I am not much help... sorry...

describe the mass...

is it firm or squishy?

is she eating normal?

can you feel anything in the mass... is it lumpy?

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

i would separate her from the flock as a precaution and also as a way to observe her for a few days to see if she is actually laying eggs. if you have a large dog crate/pen that should do for a single hen.

 

[Dar]

try these

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362422

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=210732

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362549

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=387182

 

[JasonJC]

Thanks Dar.

I suspect there isn't much to do in this situation.

I'll separate her from the rest and watch, but from those links you posted, not much hope here.

Our chickens aren't so much pets as they are layers.

That's ok, I'll work on getting some new hens next year. We had 2 hens go last year due to inappropriate coop build, they suffered respiratory problems. It's all part of the learning curve. We are in our second year of having chickens. I think it's time to expand the run and add to the crew.

Thanks again.

Jason

 

[speckledhen]

Her abdomen is full of fluid, infection and egg gunk, IMO. I've lost 9 or 10 birds to internal laying and will be losing a couple more. It's very common, especially in the high production hatchery stock. You can give her penicillin and it may clear up the infection, to a degree, but it will only be a temporary fix. This will recur. There is no need to separate her unless someone is picking on her or she can't get to food and water normally. It isn't contagious, thank goodness, just a common reproductive malfunction.

 

[JasonJC]

Thanks sh,

Instead of just watching her die, is she still edible in this state if I put her down and in the freezer?

Otherwise, I may just put her down and throw her into the inferno. No need to waste food on her if she will no longer produce eggs if we try to keep her alive.

 

[speckledhen]

I don't think there would be a problem with eating her, but if you put her down, it may be educational for you to open her up and check what's up in there. It's how we learned way more than we wanted to know about this ailment. If you look at this pic of a RIR we necropsied, you will see the white lumps under the skin of the abdomen--those are solidified clumps of infection, cooked egg material, etc, and what you're likely to find in your hen--penicillin won't dissolve that.

GRAPHIC PIC WARNING! Scroll down.