Is this Severe Vent Gleet or Infection

[RooneyToon]

She is a very young sapphire gem that just recently started laying. The pic of her vent is after I cleaned her up. It's not water belly or egg bound.....she is super super swollen like a water balloon, it hangs down so low. She walks with her legs far apart, lays down alot, but is eating & drinking normal. Been going on for 2.5-3weeks now. I don't have any roosters & only 2 other hens who are fine. After a 1.5 week of it, I thought she was getting better She layed 3 days soft shell eggs then stopped n it got worse. Yes I have plenty of calcium (oyster shells) I can tell by the eggs my other 2 hens lay. I just got some Clotrimazole (athletes foot cream) & used it last night & today, do I insert a lil 3 times a day assuming it's severe vent gleet....could it be another type of infection of her insdes?

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Poor girl. "Water belly" is a just a symptom of fluid buildup in the abdomen and it looks like that is exactly what she has. If she just started laying I would guess she has some reproductive disorder. Possibly laying internally. She might live a while longer with antibiotics and draining. She might even be able to start laying normally with some extra calcium supplements (calcium citrate), but that would be a long, long shot. Draining her belly will at least make her more comfortable and you can do it at home with an 18 gauge needle and syringe. There are some videos on youtube of how to do it if you want to go that route.

 

[RooneyToon]

Poor girl. "Water belly" is a just a symptom of fluid buildup in the abdomen and it looks like that is exactly what she has. If she just started laying I would guess she has some reproductive disorder. Possibly laying internally. She might live a while longer with antibiotics and draining. She might even be able to start laying normally with some extra calcium supplements (calcium citrate), but that would be a long, long shot. Draining her belly will at least make her more comfortable and you can do it at home with an 18 gauge needle and syringe. There are some videos on youtube of how to do it if you want to go that route.

Poor girl. "Water belly" is a just a symptom of fluid buildup in the abdomen and it looks like that is exactly what she has. If she just started laying I would guess she has some reproductive disorder. Possibly laying internally. She might live a while longer with antibiotics and draining. She might even be able to start laying normally with some extra calcium supplements (calcium citrate), but that would be a long, long shot. Draining her belly will at least make her more comfortable and you can do it at home with an 18 gauge needle and syringe. There are some videos on youtube of how to do it if you want to go that route.

Thank you, ohh no I read some articles n a video about water belly I was thinking that's not what it was especially with being so young I'll have to look up how to drain to see if that's indeed it. Were you saying that if she has water belly it is probably from a reproductive disorder?

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Were you saying that if she has water belly it is probably from a reproductive disorder?

Yes, I think that's the most likely given the soft shelled eggs, though some liver and heart issues can also cause fluid buildup. Some people would put her down, and I don't think her chances are good, but I also believe in trying to help and giving them a shot at recovery. Draining can be a daunting thing to try, but she is so full that there is almost no chance you could accidentally poke an organ with the needle, and she will feel so much better with some of the weight/pressure gone.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Fatty liver disease can occur in younger chickens, but she also could have a reproductive infection. Ascites is usually found with fatty liver, but also with reproductive problems. If you insert an 18 gauge needle under the skin in the lower belly and get yellow to brown fluid, that would confirm water belly (ascites. ) Feeding her a calcium citrate with d3 tablet daily would be good for a week or so. What type of feed are you using?

 

[RooneyToon]

Yes, I think that's the most likely given the

soft shelled eggs, though some liver and heart issues can also cause fluid buildup. Some people would put her down, and I don't think her chances are good, but I also believe in trying to help and giving them a shot at recovery. Draining can be a daunting thing to try, but she is so full that there is almost no chance you could accidentally poke an organ with the needle, and she will feel so much better with some of the weight/pressure gone.

Okay thank you soo much for the advice....I don't know what happened to another person's comment that said she's living in a horrible environment and I need to free range my birds,but if that person is reading this I can't free range because we live in the woods in FL and have hawks bad that would get them among other predators. This is there run I only have 3 in over 100sq ft, yes they ate all the grass but I give them grass daily along with green veggies weekly that they are allowed to have plus watermelon n other fruits occasionally especially in the summer and black fly larvae treats that are similar to mealworms and their pellets are natures best organic. I don't feed them junk and there run is not bad!

 

[RooneyToon]

How old is she? Fatty liver disease can occur in younger chickens, but she also could have a reproductive infection. Ascites is usually found with fatty liver, but also with reproductive problems. If you insert an 18 gauge needle under the skin in the lower belly and get yellow to brown fluid, that would confirm water belly (ascites. ) Feeding her a calcium citrate with d3 tablet daily would be good for a week or so. What type of feed are you using?

Okay thank you! Before she started laying I fed natures best organic crumble then when she started laying I switched to natures best organic pellets.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

I don't know what happened to another person's comment that said she's living in a horrible environment and I need to free range my birds,but if that person is reading this I can't free range because we live in the woods in FL and have hawks bad that would get them among other predators. This is there run I only have 3 in over 100sq ft, yes they ate all the grass but I give them grass daily along with green veggies weekly that they are allowed to have plus watermelon n other fruits occasionally especially in the summer and black fly larvae treats that are similar to mealworms and their pellets are natures best organic. I don't feed them junk and there run is not bad!

I saw that comment too and was surprised. Your setup looks great and we all take care of our chickens the best we can (which is way, way better than commercial operations). I do think it's important to limit treats in general, but I have no idea how much your girls get, and there are zero guarantees no matter how you raise chickens that they will be healthy. I do free range my girls and have lost one to ascites (similar to your case) and have also lost one to a hawk and another to an impaction from eating too much grass... free-ranging is not always so healthy!

Keep us updated with how your girl does. I really hope she makes it

 

[RooneyToon]

I saw that comment too and was surprised. Your setup looks great and we all take care of our chickens the best we can (which is way, way better than commercial operations). I do think it's important to limit treats in general, but I have no idea how much your girls get, and there are zero guarantees no matter how you raise chickens that they will be healthy. I do free range my girls and have lost one to ascites (similar to your case) and have also lost one to a hawk and another to an impaction from eating too much grass... free-ranging is not always so healthy!

Keep us updated with how your girl does. I really hope she makes it

Thank you so much!! This comment makes me feel so much better! I try to take the absolute best care of my hens along with the rest of my animals

 

[RooneyToon]

Thank you so much!! This comment makes me feel so much better! I try to take the absolute best care of my hens along with the rest of my animals

So I just extracted this syringe full just to see if it is water belly. The liquid that came out is super clear and when I 1st poked the needle in (didn't go in far at all) blood came out....so the liquid that came out since its clear & not yellowish is it not water belly? I attached a pic