BackYardChickens Forum

Critter Nanny · 01/11/2009 11:24 pm

Hi,
I am new to this group and this is my first post. Tonight as I locked my chicken coop I noticed one of my chickens had a very swollen, bald butt. The vent is not blocked from the outside, but the area below is soft and swollen to the size of a tennis ball. Most of the feathers below her vent are gone. She was active today and eating okay. I got an egg from her yesterday. She does not squawk when I touch the area, which is soft and ply-able, but I am not sure how she would react if it did hurt, so that does not tell me much.
She was a little dirty around the butt.( it is the rainy season here in California) and I put her bottom in warm water to clean her off. She is in the house tonight and acting a bit agitated at the new surroundings, but other wise no distress. Anyone have a suggestion as to why her belly is so swollen and what I should do about it?

Doris from Oakland Ca.

#1California Chick · 01/11/2009 11:46 pm

welcome-byc Welcome to BYC!! yippiechickie

A couple of questions come to mind. How do your chickens get along? Where is this chicken in the "pecking" order??

Could this be "prolapse"? You can search for this info in the search box on this site!!

I think that removing this hen from your other chickens is a good idea until you find out what is going on!!

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will also respond!!

Again, welcome to BYC!! frow

Cindy

Critter Nanny · 01/12/2009 12:26 am

Hi California Chick, We are neighbors. I'm in Oakland.
Rizzo is at the bottom of the pecking order, but I do not see a lot of pecking going on. I was working around the pen today, and they were all getting along. Mostly I only see hens peck the next in line, they do not gang up on the lower cast hens.

If I understand Prolapse correctly, it is not that. Her little vent is at the top of the swelling and clamped completely shut as it should when I placed her bottom in warm water to wash her off. The swelling is soft, like a balloon full of water. The more I read, the more I do not want to squeeze it... I would not want to crush the next egg in the tube.
I was working around the pen and making noise, this usually means I do not get many eggs that day. Could this have messed her up? She is very sweet, but shy.

Doris

dirtgirldesigns · 02/01/2010 10:01 pm

I am having this same issue with one of my Welsummers. I noticed a swollen butt area last night when I went to close the coop. Her rear area hanging over the roost looked extra big. I felt it, and it was a bit squishy, but it didn't seem to be bothering her. I thought maybe she hadn't laid that day, but was close.

This afternoon, I noticed she had poop on her feathers. No blocked vent. The under area is still swollen and squishy. It is not bald or picked at, but the swelling is making it look less feathered.

I washed off the poop, and palpated the area -- feels like a water balloon, almost. Does not visibly distress her to touch the area. Vent looks healthy. It does not feel like she is egg-bound from what I've read.

She was VERY interested to eat some yogurt and rice, and seems alert. Took water well from a dropper.

Her poop has gotten progressively more normal. No signs of parasites visible to the naked eye.

Keeping her indoors tonight.

Any advice?

Last edited by dirtgirldesigns (02/01/2010 10:02 pm)

dirtgirldesigns · 02/02/2010 7:38 am

In more searching, this thread sounds similar.

* Index
* » Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures
* » Bulge between legs and vent

My girl is doing great this morning, after more normal poops. Still has a tennis ball-size swelling. I'll keep watching.

BackYardChickens Forum

#1 01/11/2009 11:24 pm

Bald butt and swollen below vent.

#2 01/11/2009 11:46 pm

Re: Bald butt and swollen below vent.

#3 01/12/2009 12:26 am

Re: Bald butt and swollen below vent.

#4 02/01/2010 10:01 pm

Re: Bald butt and swollen below vent.

#5 02/02/2010 7:38 am

Re: Bald butt and swollen below vent.

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