Hen with a bulgy, lumpy bottom - ascities, hernia, or other ailment?

[casportpony]

Maybe she has an infection?

-Kathy

 

[HenOnTheHill]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/857617/is-this-egg-bound
that was my girl same age and breed oddly enough!

This looks like exactly what I was dealing with last week! I separated the hen, gave her antibiotics, soaked her in an iodine bath and just left her alone. I was thinking hernia, but the swelling went down and she always seemed fine otherwise. A few days away from the aggressive rooster seems to have fixed her. still a little bulgey, but she seems happy good luck!

What type of antibiotics did you give? What would the iodine bath do (sorry, I'm just not familiar with this as a treatment). It is pretty crazy that yours was the same age/breed. She is the only Australorp that I have right now, so I don't have anyone else to compare her to.

 

[HenOnTheHill]

Maybe she has an infection?

-Kathy

Should I put her on antibiotics as suggested by quinaldy and see if that helps? I have Duramycin and Tylan 50 on hand. (Ugh, back to the needles with the Tylan, though in the breast and not the butt!)

 

[HenOnTheHill]

Hi I'm new here and not sure if this can help, but we had a hen with this problem last summer. It was my child's pet chicken and I was desperate, though couldn't afford vet visit. From what I could gather, it seemed like a liver issue, ie ascities. and inflammation. So I put her in a separate pen, found some barberry root, made a light tea with it. For about five days I gave her this tea, and apples diced fine in a food processor along with her regular feed, also some probiotics in the form of kefir. The swelling went away and she was fine in about a week. It didn't return. As I understood it the barberry root can ease the liver issue, and the apples can cleanse the system re the pectin and malic acid in the fruit. One of the articles I found said to add a little activated charcoal as it can absorb any nasties in the digestive system and on their way out to hasten the healing process. This is only something that worked for us, (not sure if it can help if its another type of issue) not any medical advice, just didn't know what else to do at the time, and had to at least try. The ground is all frozen now, but barberry root may be found in a health food store, its really inexpensive. Hoping things go well and that your feather baby is feeling better soon.

Wow, I am giving you props for figuring out all of the homeopathic treatments to give your hen, and I'm glad to hear that it worked. It would be worth a try, that is for sure. Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

Can you take her to a vet?

-Kathy

 

[quinaldey]

I wasn't sure if she had a localized infection which is why I tried an iodine bath. I used tetracycline I think..it was whatever y barnmate had handy, I know it was in the cycline family. Honestly I think the rest away from the others helped her more than anything else. Good luck!

 

[casportpony]

Do you have any human antibiotics?

-Kathy

 

[tatertot]

About the spot on the egg...IV seen that in a thread called weird and odd eggs

 

[HenOnTheHill]

Update on my lumpy hen: I kept her in the mudroom the last few days to give her a chance to relax and observe her behavior. Her poop still looks normal, eyes are bright, and she is still eating well. Thursday she did not lay, Friday she laid a soft shelled egg, and yesterday another small, but normal looking one. This morning I put her back out in the coop/run and she went about her business as usual with the other hens. Her bulge is the same size as it was, and is warm, but not really more than the rest of her body feels.

Kathy, You asked if I had any human antibiotics. What would be the reason for them vs. animal antibiotics? I think I have some doxycycline that should still be in date, but need to find the bottle. The vet is not really an option for us.

If it makes sense to try, I can separate her in the coop in a crate and give her antibiotics to see if it does anything.

 

[casportpony]

I ask about human antibiotics because they're usually in pill form. Animal antibiotics are fine, too, but the ones from the feedstore require mixing in water or injecting. If she has an infection you would want to treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic, but not sure if doxycycline qualifies.

-Kathy