Bald butt and swollen below vent. - Page 9

Oh Sue, I'm so sorry for your loss!

it was sad, I knew she was so confused when I isolated her ... she was so social and missed being with the flock, I'm soo very glad her death was quick.  she was a sweetheart.    the tumor/growth never slowed her down, she waddled and even ran, and layed an egg almost every day!

We've got 25 three week old freedom ranger broiler chicks and today as they ventured outside for the first time I noticed some of their butts are swollen. Some bigger than others, and somewhat bald as well. They are eating and drinking and seem just fine. It is definitely not an egg issue as they are too young....it doesn't seem like anyone here got any answers to this seemingly common problem? I added some apple cider vinegar to their water......hoping it will help. If anyone has any idea what it could be please let me know....

I have a 1 yr old BO who 2 nights ago expelled a shell-less egg some time in the night.  Yesterday and today she has been lethargic, not interested in eating, tail down.  She is drinking and I was able to get her to eat some peas with olive oil last night before bed. It did not appear to me that she poo'd in the night last night however I watched her closely this am and saw her poop out some egg white and a little bit of what looked like green (pea) poo.  Her crop this am is pretty full and feels like I can mold it when I massage it and she hasn't eaten anything yet today. Anyway, I did massage it for quite a long time.  She has had the same issue with a swollen and sometimes red bum, below the vent since she was 6mos old. That has never seemed to be bothersome to her.   Her feathers are missing there also.  Mostly the missing feathers I attribute to one of the other girls (the only one with ALL of her bum feathers) as I've seen her pick at the others poopy butt feathers before.  I am thinking that I will stop by TSC on my way home tonight and see if I can get an antibiotic as a precaution.  Does anyone think that is a BAD idea?  I only have three BO's and they are my babies... 
 

What about lymphoid leukosis?

http://www.poultryhub.org/bird-health-and-disease/lymphoid-leukosis/
 

Thanks for posting the link.  It sure sounds like it to me, which would explain why antibiotics are ineffective.  Unfortunately any chicks from the eggs of the infected hen would continue to pass it on to future generations.  Passing it on from bird to bird doesn't seem to be that much of a threat which would explain why some of the posters only have limited number of their flock infected.  I consider myself fortunate that my stock has not acquired this affliction.  I will be watching my newer replacement birds closely as they came from a hatchery and all my previous acquisitions have been from breeders or eggs Ive hatched from my own stock. 

wow.. still no clear answers... My 3yr old EE also has this problem. she has had a droopy butt for over a year, but just today i noticed the swollen featherless bottom. i picked her up today to check it out and she had a warm water-baloony mass like what has been mentioned in this thread. :( I really don't want her to split open, that is so terrible to imagine. It seems that no one is certain how to treat this ailment. I will be making an appointment with our vet tomorrow, hopefully i can get some clear answers and share them with all of you.

Jesusbear7, did you ever find out what it was? Has anyone on this thread who has taken their bird to a vet have ANY answers??? My poor 6 month EE Ruby has this swollen bald butt thing too and is walking kind of funny. I really don't want to lose her because she's the only pink egg layer I have :(

  Well, we had this Big Bulge Butt all of a sudden on one of our chickens.  Two experienced breeders did not know what it was either.  I took her to the Vet, and they diagnosed right away, this is a HERNIA.   That bulge means a tear in her abdomen and entrails are in that bulge.   It is related to the chicken's reproductive cycle (egg laying) and so it does not 'go away;' whatever caused the malfunction will likely happen again.  It cannot be taped up or put in a sling.   A hernia needs a mesh or sewing repair, just like a human's hernia.  In the case of chickens, since it would happen again, the chicken would need a hysterectomy, her girly parts removed.  This operation runs into Thousands of dollars.  The hernia condition is indeed terminal, as a few people have said in these posts.  There will come a time when our girl's bulge will finally burst, causing sudden death.  Her everyday-condition is totally normal, no changes in behavior or eating or laying.  She used to lay Humonous eggs, ergo the straining and hernia.  My job is to keep an eye on her and if she is in pain, send her to chicken heaven.