HELP! Hen with really swollen butt below vent and feather loss

[DorothyBlancheandRose]

Help! I just noticed my lavender Orpington is missing all her feathers just below her vent and is really swollen- to the point I can see some bruising on her skin from the swelling! (She is so fluffy normally that it is hard to tell until I happened to be on the ground and she hopped up on something near me). It is soft-ish, like a water balloon. I have read about vent gleet, and so gave her a bath and applied some anti fungal cream to the area, amd gave her some yogurt, but I’m concerned it may be something else? Her vent appeared normal, not red amd no discharge I could see. She is eating and drinking normally with no other signs of distress (other than the bath lol) and has been laying normally, too, including today, so I don’t think it’s a laying issue. Should I take her to a vet? Sorry the pics are pretty graphic- poor Rose. (Until I bathed her, she was so fluffy her feathers hid all of this, FYI!, but I think it did come on rather quickly). These pictures are taken post-bath, which is why the feathers look so straggly. My other 4 are completely fine after thorough bum checks.

 

[DorothyBlancheandRose]

Anyone?? Please

 

[Eggcessive]

The swelling may be ascites or water belly. It can occur with liver disease from egg yolk peritonitis, cancer, or heart failure. If an 18 gauge needle is inserted just under the skin of the abdomen, yellow fluid may be withdrawn with a large syringe, to confirm this and to reduce pressure and discomfort. She or others may have been pecking out the feathers.

 

[DorothyBlancheandRose]

The swelling may be ascites or water belly. It can occur with liver disease from egg yolk peritonitis, cancer, or heart failure. If an 18 gauge needle is inserted just under the skin of the abdomen, yellow fluid may be withdrawn with a large syringe, to confirm this and to reduce pressure and discomfort. She or others may have been pecking out the feathers.

From what I’m reading, the swelling for water belly is more the entire belly. She is only swollen right below her vent, where her feathers are. She’s also acting completely normal, eating, drinking and laying as usual and no signs of distress at all. I took her to a vet today who gave her (and my whole flock) a de-wormer for roundworms (poor girls- sorry!!). He said it could be worms and that she is being pecked also. Said her heart and lungs sounded completely normal but she had a slight fever. He also said it looked like she had been pecked on her bum (the bruises are from that he thinks, not swelling). His advice is de-worm and watch and come back if it doesn’t subside or gets worse, but no definitive answer. Could roundworms cause these symptoms?

 

[Eggcessive]

Hernias in the abdominal wall and fat can cause enlargement as well. Tumors or a cyst, or internal laying might also be possibilities. The others probably pecked at it because it sticks out.

 

[hems_and_hens]

From what I’m reading, the swelling for water belly is more the entire belly. She is only swollen right below her vent, where her feathers are. She’s also acting completely normal, eating, drinking and laying as usual and no signs of distress at all. I took her to a vet today who gave her (and my whole flock) a de-wormer for roundworms (poor girls- sorry!!). He said it could be worms and that she is being pecked also. Said her heart and lungs sounded completely normal but she had a slight fever. He also said it looked like she had been pecked on her bum (the bruises are from that he thinks, not swelling). His advice is de-worm and watch and come back if it doesn’t subside or gets worse, but no definitive answer. Could roundworms cause these symptoms?

Hi there @DorothyBlancheandRose - this sounds like it could be similar to what I'm experiencing right now (I just posted photos here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...elp-warning-gross-pics.1480949/#post-24679928). I'm in the same boat as you, thinking/hoping it's not water belly because it's closer to the vent.

I'm just wondering, would you mind updating on whether the roundworm treatment helped, and how she's doing? I hope your flock is doing well. Thanks so much!

 

[SchooleysMountainSoap]

Dorothy, wondering if you have had any luck in bringing her back to health? We have a similar situation. This is a beautiful blue cuckoo maran hen. Eats only organic. 8 others in the coop and all are fine. At the start of redness she was laying leathery soft shelled eggs. It's hard to tell how frequently she is laying right now. She is about 1.5 y/o. Thanks! Julie

 

[Eggcessive]

She could be laying internally, especially if it feels spongy or firm. Soft shelled eggs or shell-less eggs is a sign of either not getting enough calcium in the diet (with layer feed and/or crushed oyster shell available,) but salpingitis or a problem with the shell gland can cause internal laying and lash eggs material.

 

[SchooleysMountainSoap]

Dorothy, wondering if you have had any luck in bringing her back to health? We have a similar situation. Thanks! Julie

She could be laying internally, especially if it feels spongy or firm. Soft shelled eggs or shell-less eggs is a sign of either not getting enough calcium in the diet (with layer feed and/or crushed oyster shell available,) but salpingitis or a problem with the shell gland can cause internal laying and lash eggs material.

Thank you for such a quick reply! Would you know of an easy fix for salpingitis? I am researching it now, although she is not producing lash eggs. We know there is no easy fix. Poor thing, well I guess I'm going to separate her, soak her in Epsom salts, put human hemorrhoid cream on it, give her some tlc and apple cider vinegar in her water with grapes maybe. Play some Mozart (jk ). See if any of this helps. If not, at least she'll be less stressed.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is a common reproductive problem that is an inflammed oviduct. There is no cure. Some people try antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, but it may or may not help, especially if it is advanced. You can try to rule out ascites or water belly, if you try to withdraw some fluid with a needle. Here is some reading about salpingitis:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/salpingitis

https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/