Very Swollen Abdomen

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ACH1980

ACH1980

In the Brooder
5 Years
Apr 3, 2014
14
9
24
Help! I need some advice on my 1 year old hen who has an extraordinarily enlarged abdomen (below her vent). It literally looks like there is a baseball lodged in her intestines. Two days ago I noticed she was standing funny in the coop with her feathers puffed out. She was eating/drinking okay but just looked different. I took her up to the house and noticed she had a very swollen abdomen. I initially thought she was egg bound. I have given her 3 warm epsom salt baths, lubed her vent etc without any luck. I don't feel an egg -- the mass feels like it is below her vent. She is definitely uncomfortable when I gently feel inside -- She is pooping okay and often poops as I check her vent. She can't lay down and is just miserable. I have crushed up a Tums and put it in her water…any ideas what this could be and how I can treat her at home. She has definitely lost weight despite eating/drinking. Her breast bone is very prominent. I have tried to research what it could be but haven't had any luck. I just don't want her to suffer and unsure if I should wait it out or cull her. If she was egg bound, I am assuming she would have already passed as it is going on day #3. Thanks!!!!
 
ACH1980 said:
Help! I need some advice on my 1 year old hen who has an extraordinarily enlarged abdomen (below her vent). It literally looks like there is a baseball lodged in her intestines. Two days ago I noticed she was standing funny in the coop with her feathers puffed out. She was eating/drinking okay but just looked different. I took her up to the house and noticed she had a very swollen abdomen. I initially thought she was egg bound. I have given her 3 warm epsom salt baths, lubed her vent etc without any luck. I don't feel an egg -- the mass feels like it is below her vent. She is definitely uncomfortable when I gently feel inside -- She is pooping okay and often poops as I check her vent. She can't lay down and is just miserable. I have crushed up a Tums and put it in her water…any ideas what this could be and how I can treat her at home. She has definitely lost weight despite eating/drinking. Her breast bone is very prominent. I have tried to research what it could be but haven't had any luck. I just don't want her to suffer and unsure if I should wait it out or cull her. If she was egg bound, I am assuming she would have already passed as it is going on day #3. Thanks!!!!
Click to expand...

Is her weight heavier than normal? A noticeable amount heavier? Does she walk kinda like a penguin?
 
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Hi! Yes she is walking like a penguin -- she seems like she has lost some weight...
 
ACH1980 said:
Hi! Yes she is walking like a penguin -- she seems like she has lost some weight...
Click to expand...
I only had one like that----9 to 10 months old-----Major egg bound. Eat like a hog, but got to the point she could not get on the roost, worse and worse till I put her down. I have some very Gross egg bound pictures from her. I do not think she ever layed a egg. Sad. Maybe your is not that.
 
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She is definitely egg bound.you need to treat her with with soaking her vent are with water water and episoms salts.for more info look up egg bound hen.you. Need to treat her right away
 
Another possibility is ascites (water belly) but if she is wasting then it may be a tumour or possibly internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis.
If it feels like it might be water belly then you can drain it with a large gauge needle and she will have almost instant relief, although it will almost certainly build back up again over time and need re-draining, If the mass feels solid and she is in discomfort, then you may be best to euthanize her.
If she was egg bound, you would not see such significant swelling of her abdomen in my opinion.

Good luck with her.

Regards

Barbara
 
Did your girl do OK? I thibk mine has the same problem. She's beenlaying soft eggs, two from ghe roost, and was bound with one of them. Two weeks ago, the avian vet found nothing wrong with her, and she laid one more hard (but tiny) egg. Nobe since, and she is in discomfort again.
 
micstrachan said:
Did your girl do OK? I thibk mine has the same problem. She's beenlaying soft eggs, two from ghe roost, and was bound with one of them. Two weeks ago, the avian vet found nothing wrong with her, and she laid one more hard (but tiny) egg. Nobe since, and she is in discomfort again.
Click to expand...
Reproductive disorders can be common in our laying hens, especially in hens over 2, but occasionally, we see them in younger birds as well. Some of those are egg binding, internal laying, salpingitis, and egg yolk peritonitis. Making sure they get a layer feed containing 4 % calcium, offering crushed oyster shell on the side for calcium,and with the vitamin D from sunshine as well as diet, most of them will lay hard shell eggs. That is unless something is wrong internally, such as a shell gland problem or past exposure to some viruses or mold toxin. New layers and old hens may lay soft eggs more frequently, but I have a hen who was injured by a dog who started laying those for the first time. Here are some articles that you may want to read (click on each title):
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/

 
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