Unhealthy hen, bulged

[QueenLottie]

Hey friends,

I found my 4yo-ish hen lying on her chest in our outdoor coop when I left for errands today and she was still there when I returned. I grabbed her and brought her inside for an exam and could see sort of a dirty butt but nothing drastic like vent gleet (and it doesn't smell more horrible than normal). I gave her an epsom soak and checked her bum again and can now see that she is bulging below her vent but vent is clear, the bulge is soft. Her resps are normal but have some increased effort, lungs are clear and heart sounds great, mouth is clear - her plumage is normal.

Think there's something nasty internally (ovi-duct rupture, etc)? I did lube up her vent just to be safe, it is puckering but honestly every time I check their vents they do that. She is very thin.

She's my favorite little lady and I feel awful - we just lost another hen in December.

Thanks for any insight, this is my first flock.

 

[User690263]

Hey friends,

I found my 4yo-ish hen lying on her chest in our outdoor coop when I left for errands today and she was still there when I returned. I grabbed her and brought her inside for an exam and could see sort of a dirty butt but nothing drastic like vent gleet (and it doesn't smell more horrible than normal). I gave her an epsom soak and checked her bum again and can now see that she is bulging below her vent but vent is clear, the bulge is soft. Her resps are normal but have some increased effort, lungs are clear and heart sounds great, mouth is clear - her plumage is normal.

Think there's something nasty internally (ovi-duct rupture, etc)? I did lube up her vent just to be safe, it is puckering but honestly every time I check their vents they do that. She is very thin.

She's my favorite little lady and I feel awful - we just lost another hen in December.

Thanks for any insight, this is my first flock.

Could you share some pictures?

 

[QueenLottie]

Could you share some pictures?

I'll try when my partner gets home. She passed some stool overnight and then just now in front of me. Breathing seems less labored today and she was standing and eating a little and to drink some water. It doesn't look any worse back there, here are her poos

 

[User690263]

@azygous @Wyorp Rock

 

[QueenLottie]

Could you share some pictures?

Hard to see, a little swollen and red underneath her vent and caked in loose poo-she was leaking white stool earlier and has passed other more solid but watery poos. She is feeling so much better today! I did give her an epsom salt bath again today just to loosen some poo up but it didn't do a whole lot since she didn't want to squat in it like yesterday

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post some photos after all the poop/debris has been removed and she's cleaned up?

If she should have laid an egg and hasn't, then I'd start her on Calcium asap. 1 Calcium Citrate+D3 daily for 5 days. Pull down on her wattles, pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow.

Check her for lice/mites and see that her crop is emptying overnight.

Example of Calcium Citrate+D3