Swollen belly, comb dark & dropped, penguin stance. And now a fly-strike.

[MysteryChicken]

She is straining, her bum hole pulses like she wants something out

I'd give her an internal examination. Just to the first, to second knuckle on your finger. This is to rule out an egg.

Tumors can make a hen feel like she needs to pass an egg.

 

[MysteryChicken]

She has no real appetite or thirst.

My hen had thirst, & appetite, but was suffering.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

There is no blood in stools, so I think I can rule out coccidiosis.

Her breathing has an odd little rumble to it, like purring, or like marbles rubbing together inside a thick bag. (maybe liquid in lungs? Or something moving internally ? It is timed to her breathing, but like a slow rumble in a stomach

 

[U_Stormcrow]

First - I'm not an expert on Poultry Illness/Injury. What I don't know about the subject would fill books - and does.

Second, the symptoms described do NOT sound like coccidiosis. They DO sound like ascites/"water belly".

Water Belly is a syndrome - a diagnosis of the apparent effects, NOT a root cause. It can be genetics, it can be feed/diet, it can relate to heat and altitude, and even certain microbes - or some combination of factors.

Treatment for it is palliative, and often ineffective - an attempt to remove excess fluid from the abdominal cavity to releive pressure, restrict feed, and hope.

I am not making a positive diagnosis here. I don't feel qualified to do so. But if it were me, and my flock, with a confirmed ascites diagnosis, I would cull the affected bird and end its pain. Fortunately, it is not transmissible - there's no real risk of infecting others.

"When the need arises - and it does - you must be able to shoot your own dog. Don't farm it out - that doesn't make it nicer, it makes it worse." - Robert A. Heinlein

 

[MichelleSoto]

I have had 3 chickens in the last month have the same thing. I think it's water belly and each time I've had to cull them because they just get progressively worse. Their poo is really stinky and they continually drink water. I don't know how they get it or what I am doing wrong or how to help them myself. It's heartbreaking. Any ideas on how to prevent this?

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I have had 3 chickens in the last month have the same thing. I think it's water belly and each time I've had to cull them because they just get progressively worse. Their poo is really stinky and they continually drink water. I don't know how they get it or what I am doing wrong or how to help them myself. It's heartbreaking. Any ideas on how to prevent this?

If am so sorry for your loss. I hope someone sees this and helps give you suggestions. All I have to offer is wash any poo off the butt because they are vulnerable to fly strike. If the smell is like a rotten flesh examine for a dark wound, then squeeze looking for larvae. If that happens, I find washing with lots of water and dishsoap for the poo then peroxide (any disinfectant you have that does not hurt them, vinegar in a pinch when diluted also disinfects. ). But the big part, let it dry and apply lots of diatomaceous earth powder to the area. The powder does wonders, but only dry. Once wet it does nothing

 

[MichelleSoto]

If am so sorry for your loss. I hope someone sees this and helps give you suggestions. All I have to offer is wash any poo off the butt because they are vulnerable to fly strike. If the smell is like a rotten flesh examine for a dark wound, then squeeze looking for larvae. If that happens, I find washing with lots of water and dishsoap for the poo then peroxide (any disinfectant you have that does not hurt them, vinegar in a pinch when diluted also disinfects. ). But the big part, let it dry and apply lots of diatomaceous earth powder to the area. The powder does wonders, but only dry. Once wet it does nothing

Thank you It kills me and I have another chicken that just started with same symptoms. They are only 3 years old and all have been well cared for and have had same feed their entire lives.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

To add a little more info: she is about 2 & half yrs old. Born Jan 2020.
The odd feathers near her butt in the pic is just the diatomatious earth applied a little liberally to make sure no larvae are crawling ii n her down looking for a snack.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Thank you It kills me and I have another chicken that just started with same symptoms. They are only 3 years old and all have been well cared for and have had same feed their entire lives.

I read that they are 'bred' for a 12 to 18 month life of max egg production and that is why they have reproductive issues. I keep telling them to take weekends off and not lay every day, but they just ignore me and keep making eggs.

 

[MichelleSoto]

I read that they are 'bred' for a 12 to 18 month life of max egg production and that is why they have reproductive issues. I keep telling them to take weekends off and not lay every day, but they just ignore me and keep making eggs.

I'd rather have my chickie mamas healthy then - losing them and having eggs.